The Art of War
by Djuva
Summary: A different plan continues: Palpatine might be dead, but the war is not over yet. As Darth Vader's little team makes a final effort towards defeating the Empire, the Dark Lord himself is pursuing a far more sinister plan.
1. Preparations

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The Art of War

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

This story is a continuation of my `A different plan' and takes up the storyline where it ended: on Naboo. Special thanks to Redone for enduring my notorious last minute changes, and for being such a great beta and a source of very welcome constructivism.

"By deep knowledge of principle, one can change disturbance into order, change danger into safety, change destruction into survival, change calamity into fortune."

From _The Book of Balance and Harmony_

Save for the wind caressing the green leaves, nothing was moving at all. There were no clouds in the blue, blue sky, no animals, nothing. Nothing but her. Dark eyes open she was staring straight ahead into infinity. All the way into the darkness of her heart. A darkness she could hide in, one that gave her comfort and safety. But not anymore. Holding her head high, strands of dark brown hair playing in the wind, she stood slowly. It was time. Time to get back what she had lost so long ago. Time to fight. Time for revenge.

Part One: Preparations 

"So what do we do now?" Leia asked with a smile, one arm draped around Han's waist. They were sitting comfortably on the couch in the Falcon's rec area and for once even Solo enjoyed the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of what had turned into a family reunion.

Opposite from the couple Luke Skywalker sat next to his father, beaming happily at everyone, and once in a while Anakin would give him an amused look and a proud smile.

But Leia's question refocused her father's attention on the problems at hand:

"Well," he mused, "Actually we shouldn't be here at all." 

"Then why are we?" 

"I wanted to see you all again in private, but I realize now, that this move might have cost us precious time. Maybe I should have stayed on Coruscant." 

"And taken over?" 

"That would hardly be possible. Darth Vader is dead, remember?" 

"Thank the Force." 

"Too early for that. But that still leaves us with a problem. Our fleet cannot match the Empire's firepower. Or rather, not yet." 

"Then the plan will continue?" 

"Definitely. I do not think that anyone would have the nerves now to change my orders. There will be a lot of confusion throughout the ranks, since they've lost both the supreme military commander and the supreme ruler in short order. Which gives us an advantage."

"Then we have to continue pushing the offensive. Right now Needa and Dodonna are taking care of that."

"Good. Very good. I gather you want to take me back to your rebel friends?"

"Not if you have something else in mind."

"For now, no."

"Okay then. Han, when can we get off this planet?"

"As soon as Jix and Mara are back."

"Oh. Right. I forgot."

Mara Jade bit her lower lip in furious concentration when she hit the ground, cushioning her fall with her knees and keeping her balance with arms out-stretched. She eyed the man standing opposite on the soft grass of the Naboo plains closely, looking for any signs of another attack. He was fast, she had to admit. But in her current position she was free to move in any direction and any move he made could be countered with ease. 

"Let's leave it for now," he said suddenly, unexpectedly, and turned his head away to look into the direction of their ship. Mara rose slowly and moved over to his side. 

"Are we leaving?" 

"Seems so," the man replied shortly and started walking towards the Falcon. 

The ship was pretty crowded by the time everyone was finally on board. Han and Chewie had taken their accustomed places, with Luke and Leia sitting in the passenger seats behind them. The take-off was, as always, flawless, and having left Naboo's atmosphere behind, the freighter hurtled into hyperspace on its way to the rebel headquarters.

Back in the rec area, Mara Jade was smiling weakly at the Dark Lord. "So, what is your plan?" 

He eyed her curiously: "I was under the impression that, after having read my private files, you would be informed better than that." 

She blushed slightly, then turned to glare at Jix, who was grinning silently. But when she faced the tall man sitting opposite her again, Mara's face was calm and earnest: 

"But you do not sincerely believe that this plan will continue to work now, do you?"

"Of course not. But we can make as much use of it as possible, until circumstances change." 

"And when they change?" 

"Then it will be time for another plan," he answered, smiling faintly.

Captain Piett stood at the viewport of the Relentless, staring moodily at the panorama laid out before him. When Darth Vader had selected him personally to command his new flagship, he had been the happiest man in the galaxy, but since then the construction of the very first Super-class Star Destroyer had been delayed time and again. And now he was stuck here, officially to oversee the project. True, the ship was nearly finished, and it was a real beauty, stretching majestically over the viewport's frame, but the news of the Dark Lord's death had dampened Piett's good mood considerably. Who would take over now? 

"Sir!" his aide called out. 

"Yes. What is it?" 

"A message for you. It's from High Command." 

Frowning slightly, the captain went over to the comm station and waited for the officer in charge to take a few steps back before decoding the message. He stared at the screen. A summons. "Fancy that," he whispered aloud.

"Sir, is it good news?" 

"We shall see. For now, take this ship to Coruscant."

Admiral Ozzel was not a happy man. Sitting at the rounded conference table he eyed his fellow officers coolly, but at the same time tried his best to ignore the small datacard lying innocently on the table top in front of him. Only a copy, but its contents... Still, everyone of High Command was staring at him, waiting. 

"Is it genuine?" he asked finally. The security encrypt chief nodded vigorously. The man was standing next to the holoproj and in his hand he held the original datacard, taken from Darth Vader's fortress retreat on Vjun by means unknown. Not that Ozzel cared about the how. He only needed to know if it was reliable material.

"When was the file created?" 

"About three months ago." 

"And Lord Vader died, what, three weeks ago?" 

"Yes, that sounds about right." 

"So you think he really did write this file?" 

"Noone else knew the proper passwords and codes." 

"Except for security?" 

"Exactly."

"And except for whoever deleted all of his files here on Coruscant."

"Yes."

Ozzel's gaze hesitantly wandered towards the datacard in front of him and he continued to stare at it for some time. If the contents were true, and from what he could gather security absolutely deemed them to be so, then the rebels were not only lucky. They had an ally. One whom even the Dark Lord himself feared. His eyes sought that fatal paragraph yet again, where it still flickered on the screen: *An ally potentially more dangerous than any military weapon we can bring to bear on the rebels. With his mind to guide them, they might succeed.* 

Ozzel hadn't liked the sound of that at all. If the rebels really had found a master strategist with more skill than their previous commanders and with a quarter of the Imperial Fleet backing up their ranks, then they had become more of a threat than Coruscant ever had believed possible. 

"Ozzel," Admiral Griff put in at last, "one thing is clear, I think. Whoever this ally is, he is obviously toying with us." 

"Yes. Unfortunately I also have the impression that we have no way of countering his attacks. Whatever else Vader had planned, he obviously had not planned on dying.And since, due to his orders, all of our troops are stuck on assignments, calling them back and relocating them would leave us vulnerable at least for some time. Especially with a quarter of our fleet gone." 

"Then what do we do?"

"That is a rather tricky question."

"But you have an idea?"

"I think we all have the same idea, don't you, Griff?"

All around the table he saw uncomfortable gazes, knowing looks and pained grimaces. 

There was just one solution to this dilemma. They had a new strategist? Fine. Maybe it was time to show the rebels that the Empire did not need to rely on superweapons or sorcery.

Maybe it was time to bring in an ally of their own.

The Millenium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace into the coldness of real space. Ahead, the white planet of Hoth shone like a huge star in the light of its only sun. "What a pretty place for headquarters," Mara remarked sourly and saw Jix, Solo and Skywalker share an embarrassed smile. 

"You wouldn't believe how exciting a night on Hoth can be," Jixton replied finally and smiled at her. 

Chewbacca huffed a small laugh.

All five of them turned around when they heard someone enter the cockpit in a hurry. 

"This is it?" Anakin Skywalker seemed surprised. "An ice planet? Charming." But his cool blue eyes had already left the white ball and were closely examining the two fleets assembled in a steady orbit around the planet. On one side were roughly twenty mixed sized ships, on the other fifteen star destroyers and a few corvettes. 

Anakin's eyes narrowed and he left the cockpit abruptly. Only a few minutes later they could hear him arguing with Leia. Unfortunately they were too far away, to allow for eavesdropping. Mara pursed her lips thoughtfully and turned around again to look at the two separated fleets. Of course. That was it. No need to listen in on that discussion uninvited. She could well imagine what the Princess and the Dark Lord were talking about. 

"Back into your seats. We will land in a few minutes," Solo announced suddenly and sent everyone back to their places. When Jix and Mara joined the Dark Lord in the rec couch, he was seemingly deep in thought and didn't even look at them. The two agents shared a glance, then remained quiet. Suddenly though Anakin's head came up and he looked at them sternly: 

"I want to make it clear that I expect absolute loyalty and obedience of you two. You will do whatever I say without questioning. You will not reveal your orders to anyone. You will keep your eyes and ears open. Clear?" 

"Clear," Jix countered calmly," But if I may..."

"You may not, Jix. I have been lenient with your independent actions so far, but not anymore. There are Imperial spies within the rebel structure and they need not know more than we want them to. Once my identity is revealed you will become a target."

"Ah, so you want me to behave only in public?" Jix was grinning again.

" No. At any time."

"This is unfair. My assignments always are successful. I need to be flexible. And I can protect myself."

"You will be on your own, Jix. But I want you to keep some things I tell you in mind."

"Alright, I guess. Not that I have a choice."

"But I have a choice," Mara put in suddenly, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"A choice?" the Dark Lord smiled at her without mirth. "You chose to betray the Emperor. Had you not done that, I would have killed you personally. And if you do not follow my orders now, you may still die by my hand."

"It is always good to know where one stands," she murmured sullenly, but did not quite meet his eyes. 

"If that is settled then, I believe we have reached our final destination."

Mara watched him rise gracefully and walk over to the corridor leading up to the cockpit. 

With his back still turned to Mara and Jix, he remained standing in the doorway for a moment, hesitating. Then she saw it and her eyes went wide. For a single heartbeat the Dark Lord was standing on the bridge of a star destroyer, and Mara just knew that there was someone else with him, just out of sight. And she couldn't shed the feeling that Vader was standing guard against something.

He must have heard her gasp, for the vision suddenly vanished and he turned back to look at her, questioningly. Mara tried her best to conceal her confusion behind a cool mask, but she could see in his eyes that he knew she had seen it too. Without a word, he turned sharply and went for the cockpit. 

"What was that about?" Jix asked softly, for once making an effort at being diplomatic. "Nothing," she answered, her voice hoarse. That vision was disturbing her more than it should. But she did not know why. Maybe she could find out more, in time. 

The Millenium Falcon had settled into one of the makeshift hangar bays of the Hoth headquarters. And despite the icy temperatures outside, even in these caves, there was a lot of activity going on. "Looks like someone's one the move," Han Solo remarked sarcastically as he stepped down the lowered ramp into a chaotic assembly of droids, containers, pilots, technicians and other staff. Indeed, the rebellion had just moved into this newly established base. And Leia sincerely hoped that this time they could stay longer than on Yavin. She squeezed Han's right arm and smiled up at him. 

"It's not so bad. At least no one will come looking for us here."

"Maybe." 

"And if they come, they will have a surprise waiting." 

"I don't think that the Empire has given up just yet." 

"Neither do I, Han, but we do have a plan and the advantage for now. If we move quickly our next main base could very well be Coruscant."

A snort from behind turned her head around and she frowned at Jix, who simply brushed past her, not saying anything, just smiling broadly. "What is it with him?" the Princess wondered aloud. 

"Bruised ego," Mara replied as she too passed the couple and followed the agent into the hangar. 

"Are you two going to stand there forever?" Luke asked breezily and bounded down the ramp. "Artoo!" he cried out loud at the sight of his astromech. The little droid warbled a happy inquiry and the young Jedi bent down to the droid, examining its surface closely. 

Han and Leia shared a smile. "Looks like we are really home," he said finally and laid an arm around her shoulders gently. "Let's go." But Leia held him back, her eyes lingering on the still open hatch. 

"What is he waiting for?" Solo mumbled quietly, but shut up when the Dark Lord appeared out of the shadows and took a look around. He blinked once or twice against the glare of the artificial lights reflected on the white walls, then nodded at his daughter. "I am ready," he said and strode past them, joining Jix and Mara on the icy floor.

The deck officer welcomed the Princess and her companions happily, but his eyes lingered with open curiosity on the tall stranger dressed all in black, who stood a bit apart, examining the hangar with keen eyes. 

"Is there just one of these?" Anakin asked suddenly and turned cool blue eyes on the startled officer. 

"No sir, there are two more, West and South." 

"I see. Thank you. Is there anyone waiting for us?" 

"Yes, of course," the man replied, flustered and took the lead. 

Walking in the back of the group, the Dark Lord continued his study of the base's layout. It was efficient, at least the parts he could see so far, but there were a few flaws in the design, or better, in the raw material. Heavy laser weapons could melt through the walls easily. And then the base might well fall in on itself like a sand cave, trapping ships, troops and equipment effectively. He did not like Hoth, he decided immediately. But if anything went as planned he would spend most of his time on a star destroyer anyway. If. He shook his head slowly. There was no if. There was just the plan, the eventualities and the possibilities. You had to make the most of everything. And then they were there. 

The base's command center was nearly as chaotic as the hangar, but not as loud. One wall was reserved entirely for communications, another for sensors and weapons controls, and one for strategy. It was there that the High Command was waiting for them.

General Dodonna was immersed deeply in a conversation with Mon Mothma, while Needa had a quiet talk with General Rieekan. He was the first to spot the newcomers and Leia found herself smiling at his earnest face almost immediately. But his eyes were fixed solely on the man walking at her left. Stealing a glance sideways she could see the corners of her father's mouth twitch in an almost smile. "If I may," she whispered softly and twisted out from under Han's arm to join the other group. 

"Leia, you are back," Mon Mothma welcomed her warmly, but she too was staring at Anakin's scarred face. She nodded at the small assembly, then gestured towards another door. "Maybe we should speak a bit more privately," she suggested with a smile, then led the way.

Leia gave her father a warning frown. This was going to be the hardest part now. Of course High Command had been duly informed of Lord Vader's part in the recent events, but they also thought that he was dead. Leia had talked with him about how to proceed, or rather, had tried to, since he had only told her to just go ahead. Jix had even proposed to introduce him simply as 'Uncle Dee', but both Leia and Anakin had refused. They had to be honest. At least regarding High Command. Although 'honest' from a certain point of view. 

Once everyone was present and seated in the cold conference room, Leia took it upon herself to introduce the single stranger in the group. He had placed himself strategically at the far end of the table, close to the exit, with Luke and Needa flanking him. 

"Dear friends, " the Princess began and smiled, feeling a bit foolish, "I can see that you are all curious just who we have brought back from our latest mission." Jix was grinning now and Mara's lips twitched quietly. They were enjoying this, definitely. "This man is the mind behind our strategic master plan and he has come here to join us in a final effort towards peace." 

Mon Mothma's jaw dropped just the tiniest bit. She turned to stare at Anakin, then back at Leia. Rieekan, sitting next to Luke, eyed the Dark Lord speculatively. But it was General Dodonna who spoke first: "You are saying that he is Darth Vader?" 

"The very same." Having all eyes on him did not seem to faze the Dark Lord at all. "Is that a problem?" he asked, smiling coolly. 

"I - I. No," Mon Mothma offered finally and took a deep breath: "You are alive."

"Obviously," he answered, continuing to simply stare at her. "It was a necessary deception. Still is, for that matter. Therefore I have to ask you to keep quiet about my true identity. For now. Maybe we could move on to more important issues now?" He arched one eyebrow questioningly at Leia, who nodded. 

But before she could speak, Dodonna raised his voice again: "How are we going to introduce you to our troops then?" 

Anakin gave Jix a slow smile. Then he turned to face the general directly: "I had not expected having to be introduced to them at all since it would be more adequate for me to remain in the background, as I did before. You and Captain Needa should continue leading the troops. I will simply advise you on the tactics. If you agree?" It was not really a question, and they all knew that. So Dodonna simply nodded and shared a glance with Needa, who was smiling openly. 

"And what more important issues do we have to discuss?" Mon Mothma asked finally, bringing their attention back to matters at hand. 

"The troop deployment. I have noted with some concern that you are keeping the former Imperial troops and your troops apart. They are a unity now and should be treated as such." 

"What do you propose?" 

"Mix the troops and crews. Let them get to know each other. This way you will avoid internal fighting."

"That is a very good idea, Lord Vader. We will.."

"But - "

"But?"

"Keep the fleets separate."

"To what purpose?"

"Deception again."

"I see."

"Good."

"What else?"

"There are Imperial spies hidden within your troops. We have to find them."

"How?"

"I propose an investigation. Princess Leia would be best suited for that task."

"If you think so." 

"Excuse me - " General Rieekan interrupted the two speakers politely, yet firmly. Both Mon Mothma and the Dark Lord turned to look at him with interest. 

"What is it, General?" the tall Rebel leader asked quietly, but to Leia it was obvious that she already anticipated Rieekan's answer.

"If I may, Mon Mothma, I am a bit concerned by the way Lord Vader is taking over."

"In which way?"

"I am not sure I can explain..." 

"I can. You do not trust me. But obviously you have trusted my judgement so far concerning strategy. Is that not so?"

"Y- es. True. But I still think that we should be allowed to have some input in matters too, you know?"

"I am not giving orders. I am merely suggesting a possible course of action." 

Half of the statement was swallowed by the sound of Jix' sudden roaring laughter. And he was quickly joined by giggles both from Mara and Leia. The rest was just grinning. Except, that was, for the Dark Lord himself, but Leia could see his mouth twitch ominously. 

"I think we all know what you mean," Mon Mothma managed finally.

"That is a relief."

"We will consider your suggestions, Lord Vader. General Rieekan, would you be so good as to issue the new deployments for our troops? I am trusting your judgement on the right ones."

"Of course." Realizing that he had just been dismissed, the general left with a final glance at Vader.

"General Dodonna, I want you and Captain Needa to prepare a report on the most recent battles. Now, please." 

When these two had also gone, Mon Mothma's expression turned serious again. She was giving the remaining team each a hard look, then motioned for Leia to take a seat. Rising elegantly, she herself took the place of the speaker and again took a deep breath:

"I have sent the generals away for several reasons. The first is that they really do not trust you, as I am sure you know. And Captain Needa need not hear what I want to tell you. Lord Vader, I am aware of your achievements on behalf of the people. But I want to make it clear, that these actions will not save you from the law. They will be interpreted in your favour, of course, but still, proper proceedings have to be observed."

"You are using very fancy words to describe a trial, Mon Mothma. I too, am aware of my actions, more so than you, I think," here he gave her a tiny smile, "But what are you getting at?"

"Will you agree to facing judgement?"

"To what purpose? I cannot make undone what has happened. You know that."

"Still, justice demands that you be punished for your crimes."

"Revenge is not the same as justice. And that is what it would become in the end."

"I am a bit disappointed by that answer, Lord Vader. So far I had been under the impression that you are a man of honour."

"Let me ask you a question in return: Will you be judged for the deaths of millions killed on the Death Star?"

"That is hardly comparable. The destruction of the Death Star saved millions, if not billions of lives. And besides, I did not order its destruction."

"I understand. In a war you need to reward the weak and punish the strong so all the world may see that justice will be served regardless to one's status. Regardless to one's crimes even. It is politics, nothing more. And a policy I myself have found useful so far."

"You are a wise man, Lord Vader. But this does not answer my question."

"Doesn't it?"

"I am afraid not. Will you stand trial or not?"

"We shall see."

"Very well. Apparently this is all the answer I will get. Another point I wanted discussed: you said that we should mix the troops. Does the same apply to our agents?"

"No," the Dark Lord answered, staring at Jix and Mara pensively, "I have other plans for these two."

Leia Organa had listened intently to the conversation between the former Imperial commander and the rebel leader and only now did she realize how tense she had become. Han squeezed her arm gently and gave her a smile. She returned it weakly, but this was too serious. Of course she understood Mon Mothma's point, but her father had stated the simple truth: there was no justice, only politics. And he was a pragmatic. He did not see any reason to ponder this question now that the war was still going on. To him, there were far more important questions to be answered. 

Studying his profile, his cheeks marred by long purple scars, Leia found his posture resembling that of a predator ready to pounce. Something was bothering him. And she needed to know what.

"What plans?" she found herself asking suddenly and flinched when he turned impossibly cold eyes on her. And though his gaze softened again immediately Leia still got suspicious.

"They are my agents, Princess, please do not interfere," he replied, not unkindly.

"But we have to coordinate our efforts, don't we?"

"Indeed. But their efforts will take on an entirely different level than the fleet's."

"Of course."

"If there aren't any more questions?" 

"No." Not for now, but we will talk later, she thought and saw that he got the message when he smiled abruptly.

Mon Mothma though had noticed his reaction. Few things escaped her attention. She gave Leia a hard look, then nodded: "In that case we will adjourn this meeting. Princess, if you would be so good and stay for a while longer?" 

Having no choice, Leia remained behind, watching her friends and family walk out the door. 

The rebel leader took a chair next to her and closed her eyes. "Who would ever have thought..." she sighed. 

"But he does his best," Leia put in gently. 

"To do what? I fear that he is only playing with us. And I will not tolerate that," Mon Mothma added coolly. "Tell him that." 

"I will."

Han Solo examined his new quarters critically. Not that there was much to see. 

"I am sure Master Solo, that you will soon find it very comfortable," Threepio said in his prissy voice, adding to Han's miserable mood. 

"Really," he grunted and walked over to the bed. He was really, really tired. 

"Is there anything I can do for you?" 

"Yes. Go away," Han murmured, settling onto the soft mattress. 

"As you wish, Master Solo. Oh!" Already half-asleep, Han was startled into wakefulness by the droid's tiny scream and went for his blaster immediately.

"You!" he exclaimed, truly surprised, "I had expected someone else." 

"My daughter, no doubt," Anakin Skywalker replied drily and swept into the room, brushing past Threepio and nearly pushing him off his feet. 

"How rude!" the droid snapped irritably, earning himself the Dark Lord's undivided attention. 

Shying away from the scrutinising gaze, Threepio turned to Han for help: "Can I leave now?" 

"What? Sure. What are you waiting for?" Throwing a last glance at the stranger, Threepio bustled out of the room.

"What can I do for you, your lordship?" Han had sat up again and blinked his eyes tiredly. 

"I won't be bothering you for long, Captain Solo." Dragging out a chair Skywalker took a seat elegantly and stared hard at the pirate for some time. The Corellian did his best to hide his nervousness, but he kept asking himself what it was the Dark Lord wanted. "I need your help."

That was a surprise: "My help? You sure? Not Jix'?" When the other smiled coldly he suddenly wished that he had kept his big mouth shut. 

"Interesting, this rivalry between the two of you. But distracting. I have another task for Jixton and you could be of use elsewhere." 

"What do you want me to do?" 

Luke had been waiting for his sister leaning against the cold wall opposite from the meeting room. When she finally left he rushed to her side immediately, grinning broadly. "We need to talk," he whispered and she simply nodded. They made their way into the Northern passage quietly and only when they had reached the Princess' quarters did she relax a bit. 

"So, what do you think?"

"Think of what?" she asked wearily. 

"That he is acting so nervous."

"I have noticed it too. Something is wrong. The Empire, do you think?" 

"I am not sure. Maybe he'll tell us." 

"And maybe not." They smiled at each other. 

"Do you think we will win?"

"I thought we already had won, but he is acting as if the worst has just begun."

"You are right. I wonder what it is."

Captain Piett had found a place in the back of the crowd, where he could watch everyone without being noticed. Although he was pretty sure that nothing could escape those glowing red eyes. It had been a grand reception for the Grand Admiral here on Coruscant. And a surprise for many politicians. Though Thrawn had made it clear that he was not seeking political fame his arrival still meant that the military rule would continue for a while longer.

The alien Grand Admiral had been exiled to the Unknown Regions some years ago, something Piett never understood. There were very few commanders with Thrawn's strategic skills. In fact, he was the only one. And with him to lead the remaining Imperial troops they would surely win in the end. But, Piett asked himself quietly, to accomplish what? Stabilize the old order? Probably. He shook his head slightly. The Emperor's New Order had caused this war, proving that it was not what Palpatine had promised when he ascended the throne. There was no justice, no order. 

"Captain Piett!" 

Looking up he met the Grand Admiral's glowing stare. "Sir?" 

"I would speak with you. Now."

He was not afraid, when he followed Thrawn, Ozzel and Griff into one of the smaller meeting rooms adjoining the reception hall. But when the Grand Admiral waved the other two away, the Captain could not hide his surprise. What did Thrawn want? 

Settling into one of the chairs the blue-skinned alien regarded him for a while in silence. 

All the time Piett stood to attention, quietly trying to assess what he had done wrong. 

"At ease, Captain," Thrawn said suddenly, his voice low and curiously soft. "I have a few questions I would like you to answer truthfully." Piett simply nodded. 

"Very good. The first, Captain, is one concerning trust. You are known in the fleet as Lord Vader's protégé and he has only recently given you command of his latest pet project, the construction of a Super-class Star Destroyer. Unfortunately Lord Vader is dead. But I value his choice of commanders greatly. However, I do not want any bad feelings between the two of us. After all, our goal is the same. Or isn't it?"

"I am not sure."

"Meaning?"

"Sir, may I ask what you want to accomplish with the fleet?"

"You are concerned about the Empire's future. You are discontent with the state it is in. Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your honesty, Captain. But I must tell you that politics are best left to the politicians."

"I understand."

"I am sure you do. You are dismissed for now, but I expect you aboard the Relentless at 700 tomorrow." 

"Sir?"

"You will be commanding my flagship."

"An honour, sir. And if I may add: welcome back." 

Coming out of the meeting room he was walking as if in a trance. And here he had thought that Thrawn might reject any of Vader's previous commanders. A mistake. Only belatedly did the truth hit him. Thrawn wanted to have him under his control, nothing more, wanted to make sure that Piett remained loyal to the Empire. Of course. In a way he truly did feel honoured by that, since the Grand Admiral's move showed his respect for Piett's accomplishments. Else he would not have given him this post. Else he would be dead now.

Again he asked himself why he had not taken the rebels' offer. That would have meant a clean break with a system he did not believe in anymore. Needa and the others had decided to rather betray their comrades than keep on fighting for the wrong side. But he had found that he could not do that. His loyalties were not as much to the Empire as to the Dark Lord of the Sith who had kept the military in line despite the constant jealous bickering between the Admirals and Generals. 

In a way Vader had made it all work somehow. And now he was gone. As the Dark Lord's protégé he felt that it was his responsibility now to keep the Empire on the right course. If they would give him a chance. If they would keep him alive. He knew very well that his promotion to commander of Thrawn's flagship put him in a precarious position. There was no way he could move in any direction without the Grand Admiral's consent. And on the other hand he would have to keep a wary eye on any attempt to relieve him of his command permanently. 

Throughout his career Piett had always been favoured due to his skills and excellent performance. But over the years this became more of a curse than a blessing. Right now he even found that he had caught himself in a tangled web of loyalties, ambition and the simple need for survival. Thrawn had offered him a way out by making it clear that as a soldier he was not required to think beyond the concerns of the Navy. 

Unfortunately Piett could not help feeling responsible for the Empire and its people. Something he had inherited from Vader, no doubt. He smiled to himself briefly. Very well. For now he knew what he wanted. But that might change in the future. And his mentor had always told him that one had to be prepared for anything.

Han Solo was checking the Millenium Falcon's outer hull for the third time when he heard someone approach. Turning around he gave the Princess his best lop-sided grin. It didn't work.

"So you are leaving?" Leia glared at the Corellian smuggler with cold eyes.

"I told you that there is still this thing with Jabba." 

"Really. You told me an hour ago. I wonder why you did at all?"

"Listen, this is really urgent. And Chewie will be with me, so don't worry."

"I won't, but what about Jix?"

"What about him?" 

"Nothing. When will you be back?"

"I don't know. Are you trying to make me jealous or what?"

"It worked. I can see that. But actually I am just worried."

"You needn't be."

"You already said that."

"And you don't believe it? Hey, it's me." 

"I know."

"That's it?"

"If it were anybody else I wouldn't be so afraid. It's just that..."

"That what?"

"Nothing."

Finally she smiled at him and threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. 

"So. What does he want you to do?" she asked, her voice muffled by his thick jacket. But he heard her well enough.

"I don't know what you mean," Han replied, startled.

"No? A pity. I will find out eventually, you know."

"Good luck, then, Princess. I gotta go." 

"Han?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good. And keep that in mind, wherever you go."

"You are unbelievable."

She waved, grinning, then took a few steps back, bumping straight into Mara. 

"He wants you," the red-haired agent snapped and turned on her heels, leaving Leia to follow in a hurry.

"What is it?" she asked Mara, wondering what had set off the other woman's temper. 

"I don't care. He's just giving orders and expects anyone to follow them. Your brother already got into an argument with him about that." Leia froze and Mara smiled at her broadly: "Don't worry, I'll keep that secret. In here."

When the two women entered the freezing chamber, Luke stood next to the door, pouting. His father ignored him completely and was immersed in a conversation with Jix. Between them a holomap of the galaxy glowed in everchanging colors as the Dark Lord worked the controls quickly, commenting on the images in a low voice. 

"Ah, there you are. Tell your brother to stop sulking. He is not a child anymore," he asked suddenly without looking up. 

The Princess frowned at Jix' grinning face, then turned towards Luke: "What is it?" 

"He's sending me back to Dagobah. For training." 

"So?" 

"I want to help here."

"But you could help us more as a fully trained Jedi." 

He gave her a dirty look: "Why is everyone taking his side? I just thought that training can wait until this is over."

"It cannot wait," Anakin Skywalker put in gently, "and you will leave."

"But - "

"Luke, I need you on Dagobah. Nowhere else."

"Is that part of the plan?"

"Yes."

"What plan?" 

His father was smiling. "Too early for that. Just trust me."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No. And if I may add, Master Yoda will be glad to have you back." Luke mumbled something. "And I heard that too." The youth blushed, then left the room, embarrassed.

Leia did not pretend to understand what had just happened between father and son, but she had noticed something else. Stepping quietly to Jix' side she eyed her father closely. No nervousness at all. He was completely at ease. Apparently the agent had come to the same conclusion she had, for Jix leaned forward cautiously, trying to get the Dark Lord's attention:

"Don't you think that continuing the game with the rebels could put them off?"

"Only if they find out why we are playing at all."

"Why are we again?" 

"Deception."

Leia sighed deeply. She hated this secrecy, but knew that he would not tell her anything if he didn't deem it absolutely necessary. So she tried a frontal assault.

"If it weren't for Mara, we would already be dead."

His blue eyes regarded her coolly, but she could see the curiosity hiding behind those icy mirrors.

"Jade? What do you mean?"

"Well, if you had really died on Eol Sha no one would have known what to do, how to continue the plan."

Her father did not even blink: "The plan would have continued on its own."

"That is not true. You had not planned that incident with Luke, right? If it had gone wrong... And then you deleted the files. If Mara had not copied them before - "

"Who deleted what files?"

"You did. Your files. Mara was there, you know?" 

He looked at her calmly. "Oh, yes, Those files. Of course. I get your point."

"Good. Where did you send Han?"

"He will get me something we need for the fleet."

"What?"

"Just a nice little toy. Nothing special."

"I see. So, what is the rest of us going to do?"

"I believe that you have an investigation going on?"

"Alright." Leia shook her head in exasperation. 

She threw a glance at Mara, who for once was smiling. The former Emperor's Hand did have a hard time gaining the Dark Lord's trust, she knew. But Mara was all right. And in the end she would be as much part of the team as anyone else.

Anakin Skywalker watched his daughter leave with mixed feelings. On one hand he knew that keeping some things secret from her was necessary, but then again, he hated having to withhold his trust in her this way. Logically her knowing less minimized the dangers to her and to any of his agents. But she was more than that. She was his daughter. He had been able to send Luke away, out of the danger zone for now. Leia though he needed, needed her strength and resolve. Her investigation was as important to the plan as Solo's mission. And he sincerely hoped that both of them would succeed. Now he only had to get Jix and Mara on their mission. 

He eyed the Emperor's Hand for a while until she looked away. Stalking across the room he came to stand before her, cupping her chin in his right hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her green eyes held his steady and then he smiled, nodded and released her again. She stumbled back, startled, then frowned. Obviously she had no clue what he was getting at. Good. 

Turning away from Mara the Dark Lord walked back towards the holomap and pushed the controls again. "Coruscant." He waited for the two agents to join his side, then continued: "You two will go there at once. Jix," he held out a datacard, "this is your assignment. Have a ship prepared for you and read it on board. Let none else see it." 

"Sure." Jix' leaving left Mara more nervous than ever before. She did not like being alone with the Dark Lord. Right now she tried to conceal her simmering fear, but failed miserably. 

"Mara Jade. Your assignment can only be done after Jix has completed his mission. You have the master codes, I take it?" 

She nodded: "Of course." 

"Good. Once Jix rejoins you, you will find a computer terminal and delete the mainframe."

"What?" 

"All of it." 

"But - what about hospitals, sewage, heating and all that stuff?" 

"Blame it on the Empire. Besides, hospitals do have emergency generators." 

"You are kidding." 

"Not at all. Another thing."

"Yes."

"Do not fail me. And come back safely."

"I will."

"Dismissed."

He would not pretend that he liked Mara Jade much. And Jix would still pay for letting him down concerning the Emperor's Hand. He had ordered the agent to kill her and he had failed to do so. Admittedly he'd had his reasons. But in acting this independently Jixton had risked the whole plan. And this was something no one could afford. Not now. Not at any time. 

Finding himself alone again, Anakin settled down on one of the chairs, stretched his legs out before him and leaned back tiredly.

"Obi-Wan," he whispered, "I need to talk to you." 

"I am here," the other's disembodied voice answered almost immediately and the Dark Lord's head came up slowly to turn towards his friend. Obi-Wan's glowing spirit was smiling sadly. Anakin sighed.

"So you are. Did Master Yoda send you?" 

"He did."

"Then tell me: what does he know that I don't? If he knows where she is-." 

"She is gone."

"And you promised me to keep an eye on her, to never leave her unprotected. Yet you chose to stay with Luke on Tatooine. What happened?"

"We had a fight. And I could hardly force her to stay, could I? You know her. Of course I did monitor her further. And then you killed me."

"An unnecessary reminder, Obi-Wan. I had my reasons for that."

"Revenge, no doubt." 

Anakin gave him a pained look.

"She will believe me dead too now. And if I cannot find her soon - "

"We will find her. But other things are of greater importance now."

"I know. Luke is on his way already. We will be prepared. Don't you worry."

"With you in command? Never."

"You know, I wish I could be doing something else."

"Anakin, there will be time for that eventually."

"But maybe then it will be too late."

"Yes. Maybe." 

The Millenium Falcon had touched down on Nar Shadaa unmolested. The docking bay had been as dirty as everything else on the planet, and, stepping out into the dank air, Han had felt strangely elated. He felt at home here, surely more so than on Hoth. Behind him, Chewbacca had growled an inquiry. "No, I don't know if we'll find someone here. We'll just try. Who knows? Maybe we'll be lucky on the first try."

Three days had passed since he had uttered this optimistic statement. Three days of boredom and frustration. Then, though, and very abruptly, things became interesting.

The two of them were sitting in a bar, glowering at the other patrons, but saw no one they had hoped to find. Chewbacca huffed a sigh.

"I know exactly what you mean," his friend growled, then froze. "Don't turn around, pal. There are some stormtroopers at the door." Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, the Wookiee and the smuggler pretended very hard not be wanted rebels at all. It didn't work.

"Over there!" One of the troopers shouted and pointed in their direction. Immediately Han caught the edge of the table, checked if Chewie was ready and heaved the furniture towards the troopers. Or tried to, since it was actually screwed into the floor. With a curse the Corellian vanished behind the other patrons, Chewie not far behind. The troopers opened fire and all hell broke loose.

They made it out of the door in a hurry and dashed for the nearest corner. Suddenly Han found himself airborne, as Chewbacca picked him up and climbed up a ladder into an old, seemingly deserted storage building. 

"What a cozy hiding place," Han commented drily and shook Wookie hair off his shirt. 

"Yes, isn't it?" Both Han and Chewie turned around slowly upon hearing that slightly amused, yet cool voice of a stranger. He was a tall, skinny man and, more important, he was in the company of at least ten other beings of various species and sexes. Han grimaced. 

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, "and why do I have the feeling that I don't really want to know?" 

The stranger laughed quietly:" You are a man of few words, Han Solo, but they always are right on target." 

The Corellian pirate smiled, a bit unsure:"Yeah. Right. And who are you?" 

"I am Talon Karrde," the man replied, and waved at his gang. Three men came forward, raisig their weapons.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute!" Han protested, and Chewie roared a challenge. 

"Please, Solo, you misunderstand." 

"I do?" 

"Well. Maybe not entirely so. I am sure you are aware of a bounty on your head?" Han froze. 

"Over your dead body."

Talon Karrde laughed softly: "You mean: Over my dead body, I believe."

"Not at all. I came here to find you."

"Me? Why?"

"I will tell you, but only you. And if I might add: if anything happens to me or my partner you will pay for it."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes." 

Karrde frowned deeply. 

"Alright. I will listen. But not here." 

Inwardly Han heaved a great sigh of relief. That had been very close to a violent outbreak. And he knew someone who would not have been pleased if Han had had to injure or even kill Karrde. 

But that crisis had passed and with a last cautious glance back he followed Karrde and his partner out of the building. 

None of them noticed the pair of yellow cat's eyes lingering on the group. And when all of them had finally vanished, a dark figure dropped off the roof beams and landed on the floor with hardly a sound. Moving like a shadow it took up the chase.

"Now, tell me again why I should not deliver you to the Hutt." 

Leaning back in his seat, a quite comfortable chair, admittedly, Han smiled smugly:

"We have information on a little toy of yours." 

"We?" Karrde leaned forward, frowning at the Corellian suspiciously: "The rebels?" He smiled coldly. "Are you sure? I was under the impression that their information did not extend much further than their own troops." 

"Then you haven't been looking closely."

"Indeed. It would seem so." 

"But you've heard of the Emperor's demise."

"Of course. And good riddance to him and that creature Vader." 

Han was grinning now. "Yeah. Right. Just assume that there is more to the Rebellion than meets the eye. Much more. And assume that it is now as good a time as any to take a side. The right one, preferably. I offer a deal: you get me what I want and I will give you what you desire most."

"And what would that be?"

"I will get Jabba out of your way."

"Will you now. How?"

"I am afraid that I need a guarantee from you first."

"Granted."

"You haven't even asked what I want from you."

"Then tell me." And so Han did. 

Karrde's eyes went wide: "You want what?"

Grand Admiral Thrawn was looking at his holo display closely. "Captain Piett," he whispered. 

"Sir?" 

"Would you care to read this message please?" 

Piett leaned forward, face impassive: "It is an entry to Lord Vader's journal," he stated. 

"Exactly. Read what it says." 

Piett did as ordered. When he straightened up at last he could not hide his surprise: "A threat? What did he mean?" 

"That is an interesting question, Captain, isn't it? And one that demands an immediate answer. If you know anything about it this would be a good time to tell me." 

"I am sorry, but I am not aware of a threat like this." 

"Like what?" 

"Well, it sounds like – a Jedi. A powerful Jedi." 

"Ecxactly what I thought. A Jedi Master, no doubt." 

"But supposedly the Jedi are all dead." 

"Supposedly. Yes. But my information differs. Let me enlighten you, Captain. You have heard of a rebel named Luke Skywalker?" 

"Yes." 

"Good. Have you furthermore heard of a Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker?" 

"I have heard his name, yes. He was a hero of the Clone Wars, as I recall. Are they related?" 

"He was Luke Skywalker's father." 

"His father. Then maybe Lord Vader was referring to him?"

"Not very likely. Actually you have been working under his direct command for nearly ten years now." 

"What do you mean, sir?" 

"What I mean is that Anakin Skywalker is the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, or rather, was."

"Sir?"

"You have heard me correctly."

"I am not sure I understand. Then he meant his son when speaking of this threat?"

"Possibly. I have studied the latest battles with the rebels, most of them were lost by the Navy, by the way. And I have found the strategies reminiscent of those Lord Vader used."

"But he is dead."

"I am not implying in any way that he is leading the rebels, Captain. If he were alive I would not be where I am now. Still, I am curious. Is it his son? Or is it Captain Lorth Needa? After all he and other of our officers chose to join the rebels. And Needa too had a close relationship to the Dark Lord. Is that not so?"

"True. After I was assigned to the Executor Lord Vader chose Needa as my substitute on his then flagship, the Avenger."

"A ship that was lost to the rebels. And additionally, someone deleted Vader's personal files, no doubt not without copying them first. Whoever it may be, Piett, I have a feeling that this will become highly interesting."

Mara Jade walked the streets of Coruscant with mixed feelings. At her side Wrenga Jixton was smiling. He had told her that he was glad to be back in action again. And she had answered that she'd rather not be here. People knew her. Not many and none of them knew her true identity, but still it was dangerous for her to be here. Something he was well aware of. And he seemed to enjoy it. 

"Stop grinning," she hissed at him through clenched teeth. 

"I am just glad to be back in the big city," he answered, "nothing like Debelan or Hoth. This is life, you know? Can't you feel it?" She looked up, studying the faces of passers-by, taking in the emotions she could pick up easily. 

"Yes, I can feel it," she whispered.

"Don't you start too now," Jix groaned. 

"What do you mean?" 

"With this Jedi business." 

"Not this loud. Are you mad?" 

"Not at all." 

"Right, I forgot. Mr. Perfect never is afraid. Mr. Perfect just enjoys whatever is coming his way." 

Jix eyed her closely. "Maybe not everything." 

Mara stared back, got it: "Don't you dare." 

He grinned, then grabbed her arm: "This way, red-head."

It was a seedy old bar, one like many on lots of planets, a place where people could keep a low profile, or else get some short but fatal attention if they made a mistake. Jix never made mistakes. At least in his opinion. What the Dark Lord thought on that matter he would rather not know. Vader had ignored him in the past days, more than Jix cared for. He was used to being the focus of attention, and especially concerning the Sith. That was, after all the only possibility for him to prove himself. 

He savoured that brief moment before Vader would grudgingly admit that he had done something well. That sweet moment between doom and glory. And he was well aware of the fact that there was no one better than himself. Not even Solo, and the man truly was good. But the Jedi were another matter entirely. Luke might be green, but he was learning fast. And Vader himself, well, he was out of bounds anyway. But now something had changed in his life. And that change was she. Mara. He liked her. And she was more than a partner to him, more than a rival. It was actually a frightening prospect to befriend someone again. And he did not have many friends. Not at all. 

Sitting down at one of the corner tables he let his gaze wander over the crowd. No one he recognized. Good.

"Mara, I want you to stay here. See the comm unit over there? You can access the mainframe from there, no problem. And no one will bother you." 

"When will you be back?" 

"Don't wait for me. As soon as you accomplish your mission you are out of here. I'll find you again, don't worry. After all, you're my ticket off this planet." 

"I need a time frame at least."

"Two hours."

"You sure you can make it?"

"Sure."

"Good. Do your job and I'll do mine."

Flipping her an ironic salute Jix stood and stalked across the floor towards the exit. Before he left though he turned back again to watch her. Watch her watch other people closely. She would be alright. That he was sure of. Almost.

"Captain." 

"Yes, sir?" 

"Issue these orders." 

"Yes, sir." 

"Whatever our opponent has planned with Vader's files, this will surely force him to move in a more favourable way. Favourable to us, that is." 

"Indeed, sir." 

"Very good," leaning back in his command chair Grand Admiral Thrawn steepled his fingers elegantly in front of his glowing red eyes, "Dismissed, Captain."

This invisible opponent eluded him as of yet, but he would find him out in the end. Vader was dead, that he was sure of. And indeed, it could be Needa imitating the Dark Lord's favourite strategies with the rebel fleet. Or else, Vader's son. But Luke Skywalker could hardly have grown into a Jedi Knight over the course of a few months, let alone a Master. Whoever it was, he would surely not let them win. A quarter of the Imperial fleet had deserted the Empire and joined the rebels, true, but that would change soon. The rebels still needed allies, and furthermore, he was sure that the Rebel High Command did not trust the former Imperial troops without a doubt. The same went for the rebel troops themselves. Distrust, that was one key to defeat, but not everything. His first priority right now though was to stop the rebels' advance as soon as possible and to turn the tables on them. Quickly. 

Leia Organa was tailor-seated on the warm floor of her father's cabin aboard the ex-Imperial cruiser Dominator, waiting for him. He had chosen to live aboard a starship rather than endure the coldness of Hoth and she smiled at the thought of him admitting defeat to anything, let alone the climate. She sighed. Han on a mysterious mission. Jix and Mara likewise. And Luke on Dagobah. She was, she found, all alone with her father. Again. And she liked that. It made her feel special somehow. The way he treated her like an equal, not like a child, the way he did with Luke. Sometimes she thought that he saw much of his wife in her. Maybe too much. He had told her a bit of her mother, Amidala. Padmé, as he used to call her affectionately. His one true love. What had happened to her in the end? He would not say. Not yet, he would tell her, you are not ready for that. And so she waited. The way she did now.

Anakin Skywalker was stalking the floor impatiently, ignoring the concerned looks of both Needa and Mon Mothma. Time was running short. He would have to take some risks after all. 

"So, we need allies," he hissed, "allies. You know this will be dangerous, don't you?" 

"Of course. We are aware of that danger," the rebel leader conceded, shooting a glance at the thoughtful Captain. 

"Good. Good. We will find allies. Needa. You are the best man for the job. Although I do not like letting you go I will nevertheless. You will recruit the governors friendly to our cause. The worlds teetering between rebellion and obedience. I cannot give you much protection, I fear. But do not worry. You will be protected." Turning around sharply he smiled a cold smile and took Needa's head in his hands gently. "Look at me," he whispered," and relax." 

It took only a moment to imprint Needa's thought pattern in his own memory. This way he could always find him, wherever he was. And not only that. "You will leave for Chandrilea immediately. Our sources report that Governor Tieman is friendly to the Rebellion. Apparently he is even secretly supporting our cells there. I know the man. He is trustworthy. But do not stay there longer than absolutely necessary." 

"Of course." 

"Well, Good luck then. You will leave within the hour. A ship is waiting for you. And be careful." 

"That I will, my lord." 

Straightening again he let Needa rise from his seat and leave. But he remained standing a while longer, his gaze still lingering on the door even after the Captain had vanished through it. If Jix and Mara succeeded on their mission, and he was sure they would, Needa would need all the luck in the world to stay alive. Setting his jaw grimly, Anakin turned towards Mon Mothma again: "If you will excuse me?" 

She simply nodded, but he could see the suspicion in her eyes. She was not stupid, not at all. And sooner or later she would start asking questions. Well, until then he had some time left to prepare his answers.

"Leia?" 

Looking up she smiled at him, but he did not return that smile. He did look worried. "What is it?" 

"Nothing." He walked over to the viewport and stared out into the dark, velvety fabric of space, at the stars strewn over the black night like tiny diamonds sparkling in a distant light. She remembered that look all too well. Something was troubling him. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

"I said it is nothing, so the answer is no," he answered sharply without looking at her. Leia waited for an apology in vain. That was another thing about being treated as his equal. He was equally cruel and kind, concerned and uncaring. She had chosen to join him in his fight, had accepted his goals. And now he only required her to function. Leia would not have it. 

"I have been waiting for you for half an hour now, and you come back here, clearly worried, and won't share those worries with me. Fine. But don't expect me to listen when you need it." 

He turned around then, eyes wide open, astounded. It lasted only for a moment before his face hardened, became closed and distant. It was enough to make her feel guilty though. 

"I am sorry," she told him finally and rose, "I should be going." 

"No," his sharp tone made her stop in her tracks after just a few steps, "You will stay. Sit down." 

Leia settled back onto the floor and her eyes followed her father's movements as he glided across the room towards her, more predatory than ever. His cold blue eyes bored into her head and she tried her best to fend him off. He frowned at her, the cupped her chin in his right hand, looking at his daughter closely. Finally he took a seat opposite from her and closed his eyes. 

"Lesson number one, Leia: knowing without seeing is to know everything. Knowledge is the key to wisdom. And we will start that journey to wisdom here. With getting to know ourselves."

Mara Jade had been waiting for an hour now. It was time to move. Rising slowly she walked over to the public comm unit and seated herself nonchalantly. This should not take long. Actually it would take exactly one hour. Smiling, she began typing in the codes.

"What is the cause for this alarm?" 

Captain Piett, already bent over the display, answered the Grand Admiral's question smoothly: "High level access code. One that only a very few agents possess. One of them is Wrenga Jixton, Vader's agent, who played an instrumental part in the recent events, including the Emperor's death." 

"Vader's agent. Any others?" 

"None that I am aware of." 

"Very good, Captain. Can the access source be traced?" 

"Yes, but it will take a few minutes." 

"We will wait then. But no one will leave the planet." 

"Yes, sir."

She was nearly finished when the stormtroopers came crashing into the bar and started shooting everyone and everything. Ducking behind the comm unit Mara cursed loudly. He had promised her two hours! Two hours! She unholstered her blaster, held it tightly, and concentrated. Focus! One deep breath and she rolled out of her cover taking aim. And again. And again. 

Wrenga Jixton closed the file and snatched the datacard out of the docking slot. Looking back at the screen he frowned. Part one of his mission had been accomplished. Now for number two. This file was well hidden in the geographical section of the public information net. An entry on the planet Naboo. He smiled when the computer finally asked for the password. "`Padmé'", he whispered quietly and laughed. Such a pretty name for such a devious virus. "Come on, sunshine, time to wake up and do some real damage."

Mara was desperate. A fire had broken out in the bar and still the troopers were covering the floor with laser bolts. The comm unit had long been destroyed, to her great dismay, but that was not the worst of her problems. The worst was that all escape routes were blocked and her blaster was running low on power. She had no spare power cell left. But she knew that she would not die here. She would survive. Somehow. 

Racing his stolen speeder bike towards the burning building that had previously housed his favourite bar on the planet, Wrenga Jixton cursed with all his heart. If he came too late – but no, he never came too late. Just then the house exploded. 

Mara's breathing stopped when that giant ball of fire roared overhead, its heat nearly unbearable. Choking, she forced herself to inhale again, but started coughing immediately on black smoke. She could not move. Something was broken. She was bleeding too. 

"Mara!" someone was screaming her name, "Mara!" 

Then he was there, gathering her into his arms gently, lifting her up. "Let's get you out of here," he told her, trying to reassure himself more than her, she thought. 

"Jix," she croaked. 

"Don't talk, Mara." 

"I failed." 

"I know, Mara. Don't worry. All will be well."

Holding her, Jix tried to think. It wasn't easy. His thoughts wanted to flee in all directions at once. 

They didn't want to bend around the fact that Vader had knowingly risked Mara's life. What for? He was not sure. But he thought that it might have to do with the fact that Thrawn was back.

Their ship was hidden not far away, in the former industrial district of the planet. There were many such districts, full of abandoned factories and full of the poor, the scum and the waste of the city. 

Jix was carrying Mara through the still wet streets, treading carefully to not slip and fall with his precious burden. People didn't look at them when they passed. A sight like this was not uncommon down here and no one cared. No one offered to help. Not that he would have expected it. Jix would rather shoot anyone offering assistance, knowing that only a fraud would try that, or worse, an Imperial agent. So, blue eyes scanning the crowd suspiciously, he walked on, holding Mara tighter. It took him some time, some backtracking and some mean stares before they had finally made it. 

Mara's ship was a plain affair, nothing flashy. And sitting in the darkness of an empty warehouse it did look like an elderly, but reliable watchdog. Jix punched in the codes with his right hand, balancing Mara's weight carefully. With a last look behind he walked into the ship and closed the entry hatch. 

When Mara woke it was to the horrible sound of someone trying to start the engines without opening the exhaust ports first. "Jix!" she screamed hoarsely and tried to rise. A wave of dizziness swept her off her feet again and her head spun like mad. But then, to her relief, the screeching roar ceased and she could hear his boots pound over the deck towards her cabin. Seemingly out of breath and face flushed red he leaned in the door way, panting:

"You are awake. Good." 

Mara gave him a look: "Help me up." 

"No way." 

She smiled at him sweetly. "Jix, no way _I_ am letting _you_ fly us out of here. You'll only get us killed." 

"We don't have a choice, Mara. You are too injured."

"You will help me to the cockpit. Now."

Jix' eyes betrayed the worry he felt. He was genuinely concerned. She wondered why. "But I'll do the flying."

When she was strapped into the co-pilot's seat Mara thought briefly that this might not have been such a good idea. She felt awful. 

"You alright?" Jix asked gently. 

"I am trying to," she replied gruffly and refocused her eyes on the displays. But they swam out of focus again and again. "Right," she began and coughed loudly, "Let's do this."

The ship shuddered on its landing struts, then the engines came to life again. Another minute passed before it started hovering two meters over the floor. And then it rose gently up, crashed against the low roof of the building. Just then the huge door slid open quietly and the ship moved forward, its upper hull screeching furiously over the metal ceiling. In the last possible moment it dipped down a few centimeters and cleared the open door with barely a scratch. Inside the cockpit Mara heaved a great sigh of relief. Now they only had to get past the sentinel ships. 

"Right! Damn you, Jix, I said right, not ram that taxi!" He did not look at her. Forehead furrowed in deep concentration, jaw muscles clenched tightly, he swerved the ship left, avoiding the debris flying like shrapnel through the air when the other ship crashed into a wall and exploded in a spectacular ball of fire. Mara threatened to blacken out again. But she had to hold on, she simply had to. "Just up now," she whispered hoarsely, exhausted. "Don't mind the traffic. They'll have to watch out for themselves. Just keep the shields stable."

When finally the ship broke the atmosphere she tensed visibly, watching in dismay the three Star Destroyers closing in on them. "Keep an eye on these over there," she told Jix. 

To her horror he smiled: "Hey, I've got an idea." And then he turned the ship's nose straight towards the lead Destroyer. Mara closed her eyes. 

Jix' fingers grabbed the joystick hard and then he pushed it forward, increasing the ship's speed simultaneously. Diving underneath the Destroyer's belly he imitated one of Vader's trick. The goal of this exercise was to prevent the other capital ships from firing, while getting a clear run for a jump point. There was only one drawback to this whole thing: Vader was an excellent pilot. And for Jix this was the first time ever. 

"Watch out!" Mara screeched and instinctively ducked her head when they nearly bumped into the Destroyer's belly. Jix though had no time to soothe her. And besides, he was nervous enough. Veering left, then right again, the tiny craft shook under the onslaught of the warship's belly guns. 

"Their exhaust!" Mara hissed just seconds before they left the shadow of the Star Destroyer. Her comment nearly came to late since they suddenly found themselves upside down as the backwash of the giant ship's engine exhausts hit them with full force. Spinning out of control, Jix had a hard time getting them back on course. But when he finally had managed Mara reached out, face grim, and pulled the hyperdrive lever back. 

"Once we are back to Hoth you'll be lucky to get out of the flight simulator for just one hour," she threatened coldly, "and I'll be overseeing your progress personally." And then the stars turned into long lines against the dark night of space and they were out.

Grand Admiral Thrawn watched the recording showing the tiny craft running the length of the Star Destroyer with interest. 

"A neat trick," he remarked finally, leaning back again. Captain Piett stopped the recording and stood by silently, waiting for Thrawn to continue. "One agent hacks into the mainframe and starts deleting it. How much was lost? Maybe half? At the same time another agent accesses the mainframe and inserts a virus into the system, destroying it completely. No attack as of yet. Not one enemy ship in the vicinity. What is he waiting for? Our opponent has a devious mind, Captain. Very devious. Making him predictable. He will be waiting for us at Obra-Skai, expecting us to try and regain our lost files there. But we will not strike where he expects it. Prepare my flagship and then take us to Chandrilea." 

"Yes, sir."


	2. Allies and Enemies

****

The Art of War

Disclaimer: You know the routine, I am sure.

Again, thanks to Redone. You are doing a great job!

Part Two: Allies and Enemies

Talon Karrde was up late. Sitting in his office he was viewing the latest reports on the clashes between Rebel and Imperial troops. Solo had been right. The rebels were as close to winning as they could be. But he had additional information that he was sure the Corellian did not have: the Imperial Navy had a new commander. And according to rumours that man was a strategical genius. A fact that put everything in a new light. Nothing was sure anymore. Of course, he had already given Solo what he wanted. Too bad. Karrde would have rather preferred staying neutral in this. But apparently he had already made his choice. Now he could only hope that the Rebels did not break the trust he had been forced to put in them.

A change in the air made him turn around. His jaw locked tight when he saw someone standing not two meters away. The figure wore a long, hooded cloak, shadowing her face, but Karrde could just make out yellow glowing eyes and a smile on the stranger's full lips. Taking a step forward she extended her gloved hands and although the pirate chief tried to duck out of the way he never saw it coming. His mind felt as if on fire, the inside of his skull was itching like hell. And then he slid to the floor, unconscious. The woman lowered one hand and nodded slowly, just before Karrde's computer exploded in a shower of white sparks amidst a cloud of black smoke. Laughing softly, the stranger left as silently as she had come, without turning back once.

The musky, moist scent of the swamp filled the young Jedi's nose with its unmistakable fragrance as he hopped off his X-wing's canopy upon the soft ground. Looking around, Luke smiled in remembrance of the long hours he had spent here under Master Yoda's tutelage, the exercises, the bitter defeats and disappointments. And meeting his father, still a stranger to his son back then. 

"Returned you have, young Skywalker," the Jedi Master's voice rang clear and strong through the low hum of the jungle noises. 

"To end my training," Luke answered, not without some pride, and turned to face Yoda. 

"Yes, time it is to end what you have begun. Follow me." Gathering his gear together and lowering Artoo from his perch, Luke could not shed the feeling that there was more to Yoda's words than he could fathom. 

Leia was calmly studying her father's expression over the top of the small table separating them. He had his eyes closed, deeply in thought, and she had been waiting for almost an hour for any reaction from his side. Another lesson in patience. And she was getting good at it. At first she would ponder all the things that had happened during the day, evaluate their meaning and importance, sort through them for as long as it took her to get the lines and connections straight, until she could see how all of it fit together somehow. Knowledge, her father had taught her, was the key to wisdom. And slowly she began to understand the magnitude of that teaching and it fascinated her. This was the way his mind worked and it was truly intriguing to trace his thoughts and compare them to her own. It was a great way of learning and she was quietly asking herself if Luke's training was anything like hers. Somehow she doubted it. 

"A game," he said suddenly, trying to startle her, but Leia had anticipated him: "I am ready," she answered and smiled when he opened his eyes. 

"Very good. Imagine a base, three hangars, which function as exits and entrances at the same time. It is additionally secured by a planetary shield. You will defend, I will attack. Clear?" 

"Clear."

"Good. A frontal assault with heavy machinery. No fighters. I have five heavy cruisers in orbit. Your shield is still intact. Make your move."

"How many ships do I have?"

"I do not know. Tell me."

"Well. Assume that our fleets are equal. "

"Very well."

"Okay. My troops will defend the shield and attack your ground forces, while my ships occupy yours."

"You lose."

"What? Why?"

"Knowledge, Leia, is to never ever trust your eyes, to never trust what your enemy wants you to believe. Do you understand?" 

Leia narrowed her eyes, then nodded sharply: "I understand. Let us begin anew."

"Again, the same attack. What do you do?"

"I send a third of my troops to defend the shield, a third to defend the exits and another third to stop the advancing ground troops."

"Your fleet?" Just then Leia's comm chimed. Sighing, she accepted the call: "Yes?"

"Princess," a female voice answered, "I have the files ready that you wanted."

"Excellent. I will be with you in a minute." Deactivating the comm Leia looked up at her father apologetically: "I fear that we will have to postpone the battle until tonight. It seems that my investigation is making some progress." 

"Very good. Meet me at my quarters at 700 tonight. Bring your combat dress." Standing up he gave her a tiny smile: "And until we meet I want you to think about two things: your troops and your motivation."

"I will. How did I do this time?"

"I am sorry having to tell you that you lost again."

"Oh."

"Do not worry. It will all become clear in time. And we do have time, for now."

"Alright."

"Good. I will leave you to your investigation then."

Leia watched him go pensively. Motivation? What did he mean? Just as the door slid close behind him her comm blurted again: 

"Yes?" 

"The Millennium Falcon has just arrived." 

"Finally some good news. Thank you."

Han Solo wore a smug smile on his lips as he walked forward to embrace the Princess. But before he could reach her, a huge shadow placed itself between them. Looking up at Anakin Skywalker Han for once wished that he could forget who the man was, or had been. But he couldn't. Not yet.

"You will join me in my office now," the Dark Lord ordered him coolly, without sparing even one glance for his daughter. Han turned towards Leia, shrugging uncomfortably. "See you later," he sighed and stalked after Skywalker. It was not that he had to fear anything from the man. He had succeeded on his mission after all. But there was still that fear lurking at the corners of his mind that Vader was just playing with them. Maybe he should talk to Leia about it and get some answers from her.

"So, what are we going to do with that nice little toy?" he asked when they were finally there and had both taken a seat.

"I am sure you can guess. We will install corresponding units in each of our Imperial ships."

"And the central unit?"

"We will find a quiet place for it somewhere, no doubt."

"Have you heard anything from Jix and Mara?"

"Not yet. But they will be back soon. I am giving the task of overseeing the installation to you. Make it quick. And report once you are finished."

"Sure."

"Is there anything else, Solo?"

"Just one question: who are we going to attack?"

"None of your concern. By the way, what did you offer Karrde in return for this?"

"I told him that I would get Jabba out of his way."

"Really? How?"

"I have no idea. You don't, by any chance, have some suggestions?" 

Smiling, Anakin Skywalker leaned forward conspiratively: "I have just been waiting for you to ask."

"I knew it."

Captain Piett stood quietly on the bridge of the Relentless. They were ready to leave the system, had been for more than ten hours. But the Grand Admiral had been delayed. He had been summoned by the Emperor's advisors, in Piett's mind men more dangerous and devious than anyone in the Imperial Navy. He shuddered with revulsion at the mere thought of these pasty-faced, purple-robed maggots with those cold, cold eyes. A den of vipers, that was what the Imperial Court was. And Thrawn had walked right into it. And he wasn't back yet. Maybe his feeling so nervous was justified after all.

"Captain," the Admiral's well-modulated voice ended his dark broodings. Turning around Piett gave him a tiny smile:

"You are back, sir. Does this mean that we can leave now?"

"Indeed, it does. Although I had a hard time convincing those fools that Coruscant has nothing to fear." 

"If you say so."

"You doubt my words, Captain?"

"Forgive me, Admiral."

"No, please. What did you want to say?"

"Well, the virus attack has literally ripped our belly open. If we leave now, the rebels will surely strike."

"They have made no attempt until now. And remember, Captain, our opponent is toying with us. He is trying to push us in one direction, we are pushing the other way. The capitol will be safe for now. After all, he has just rid Coruscant of any strategic value. It is nothing but a symbol now. 

And he is not one for symbolism. No, Captain, the real battle will take place somewhere else."

Anakin Skywalker looked up from his computer screen and eyed the shadowy figure standing in front of his desk coolly: "No one saw you arrive?" She nodded. Sliding a datacard across the table, he closed the files: "Good. Then Karrde is taken care of. I have another task for you. And then you will return to Korriban." 

She took the datacard, but hesitated before she said: "The Council is impatient."

"Then remind them that patience is the virtue of the warrior. If they deny that heritage they have no place on the Council."

"I will tell them."

"Go."

When she had left, his eyes narrowed slightly, became blue pits of ice for just a second. She did not belong to him anymore. As he no longer belonged with them. 

"Peace," Master Yoda whispered and Luke straightened up, standing tall, his eyes closed. He tried to regain his composure, his calm, then continued to expand his mind outward. The most difficult thing was to go beyond the limited imagination of a farm boy. But he had learned so much in the past months. He would do it. 

Yoda watched his student proudly. Luke was learning fast, and he was controlling his impatience. He had a natural sense for justice and the right deed at the right moment. He knew when to stand back. But there was still an innocence to him that the old Jedi Master hesitated to take away: the Dark Side. The day would come soon when Luke would have to face it. And knowing the boy's father, Anakin would turn that lesson into a most unpleasant experience for his son. For they had agreed that it would be up to the Dark Lord to put Luke through the trials. And no one knew better than him what the young Jedi would have to face. 

"The next lesson, Luke, is about knowledge and invincibility."

Mara was breathing hard, trying to suppress the pain she felt. Jix' presence though was distracting. "Go away!" she hissed, but he simply shook his head. Taking another deep breath she let her anger at his disobedience bleed out of her mind into his body. She watched him rise up and crash into the wall with a loud thud, but he did not seem to be surprised at all. 

Picking himself up from the floor Jix shrugged his shoulders once, then smiled: "I remember Vader trying to impress me with that too, but he used a bit more force. Why won't you just take these pain-killers?" 

"Because I know you. If I am not awake you will try landing this baby on your own."

"I will wake you up, I promise." 

She shook her head weakly: "No way."

"Come on, trust me."

"Trust you? You must be kidding."

"Hey, I saved your life. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Maybe it was part of your orders."

Jix sighed. He should never have told her about his suspicions concerning their mission. Vader had given them both the same task: delete the Coruscant mainframe. At the first glance it looked like simple precaution, but Vader knew his agents, knew that they would not fail. Under normal circumstances. But now Thrawn was back. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of the best strategists the Empire had ever seen. Mara knew him and she had told Jix that Vader's move could only mean that he had known about Thrawn's return beforehand. And, naturally, in the state she was in now, injured and helpless, dependent on a man who had once been her enemy, Mara had withdrawn and distrusted everyone and everything. But she needed rest, that he knew for sure. Sighing again he walked over to sit on the edge of her bunk. 

"Mara, you need to sleep."

"I do?" she answered weakly, but with defiance. He smiled:

"Yep." Moving lightning quick he slapped the pain-killer he had hidden in his palm against the side of her neck. She stared at him, shocked. Grinning, Jix patted her cheek patronizingly: "You know, that patch suits you really well," he said. Mara growled something unintelligible before sleep overwhelmed her. He sat by her side for a while longer, just watching. And he found that he had never felt as much as ease as he did when he was with her. Boy, would she be mad when she woke again.

"Your fleet?" Leaning forward again, he sought her gaze expectantly.

Leia hesitated: "I have them attack your ships."

"Alright. My troops attack your ground forces, you are forced to relocate the troops inside the base to hold them back. Do you still want to defend the shield?"

"How is my fleet progressing?"

"If you are asking me, they are losing."

She grimaced in disgust: "I have them release their fighters."

"To what purpose, Leia? My agents are overwhelming your troops inside the base. You are beaten anyway."

"I don't understand –"

"Then let me explain. First, a question: what is your motivation to fight?"

"I am defending the base."

"Why?"

"Because it is part of the exercise."

"Wrong. I told you that you are defending the base. I am your enemy. Never let your enemy dictate your actions. It has to be the other way around. Trust – is not something you can afford."

"But –"

"No but. Know your troops, know your enemy, and more important, know yourself. He is here because you want him to be here."

"Father, I cannot plan on everything!"

"But that is what you have to do. Control the enemy. Make him move the way you want him to. Attack where no attack is expected and defend where no defence is expected. This base is of no importance."

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"The most important weapons in a war are knowledge and planning."

She sighed: "I am a diplomat, not a strategist."

"You have to be both to succeed."

"This is no game, am I right?" 

He nodded, smiling: "Life never is a game, Leia. Keep that in mind. And now we will do something else."

"Do I need the combat dress?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Did you put Mother through these mind games too?"

"We had real life to deal with."

"I – see."

She was walking cautiously, as if the ground might break underneath her feet. Chandrilea had changed over the years, just like everything else. The city itself was pleasant enough, except for the presence of Imperial stormtroopers. Eyeing them warily she sought the crowded streets around the main plaza, hiding her small, slim form in the mass of bodies around her. If she remembered correctly, her contact's shop was right behind the plaza, to the North. She had thought long and hard about what to tell him, what to ask. In the end the truth had been the only possibility. Fighting against tears of shame and anger rimming her dark eyes, she lowered her face to the ground, clenching her hands into fists in an effort to control her emotions. A long time ago that kind of control had been second nature to her, but yes, a lot had changed. 

When she entered the shop she almost didn't recognize him. His hair, pitch-black in his youth, had turned a stark white, and his brown eyes had lost their warmth. "Kit," she whispered and smiled. 

He swallowed once, stared at her disbelieving, then rushed out from behind the counter to embrace her tightly: "Oh my stars. You are back. I was so worried when I heard..." Trailing off he sought her eyes, "You know, don't you?" She nodded, her eyelids fluttering. For a moment hatred and fury fought love and despair and won. 

"He has deserved it," she stated bitterly, her voice hard. 

He took a step back, shaking his head: "Yes. Maybe. But what is more important is that you are here and alive. How can I help you?" 

Sighing deeply she let her tears flow freely for once. "Thank you," she sobbed and threw her arms around him. "You cannot imagine how lonely I was, how desperate." 

He patted her head gently, carefully, as if she might break under his big, powerful hands. "Why did you not come earlier?"

Her head came up sharply and her dark eyes narrowed dangerously:

"How could I? How? Tell me how I could have avoided his hunters, avoided himself. If he had found me... Obi-Wan is dead too."

"No."

"It is true. He killed him." His mouth hardened slightly.

"Your children?"

"I haven't seen them in a long time. But I know that they are alive."

"What will you do now?"

"I will find them. That is why I came. You have to help me, Kit."

"Whatever you need."

"I have to contact the Alliance. My children are with them. But I do not know where to start."

Kit shook his head slowly: "I cannot help you there. But I know someone who could. Governor Tieman is friendly to the Rebellion. Maybe he knows something."

"Tieman," she pursed her lips thoughtfully, "I remember him. He is Naboo."

Looking back up at Kit she smiled and squeezed his arm affectionally, then turned around to leave. Heard him call her name.

"Amidala."

"Yes?"

"May the Force be with you."

Luke Skywalker was tailor-seated on the soft ground, tendrils of mist wrapping themselves around his body, covering his cheeks with moist kisses. He did not even feel it. The sounds of the jungle had been muted to a low whisper, so that nothing could distract him, or break his concentration.

Invincibility, Master Yoda had taught him, meant to know oneself intimately, to know one's flaws and errors in order to erase them. Luke knew that once he had reached this perfected state he would be ready. But until then he would have to keep on improving his skills. 

It was not easy though, having to bear his own scrutinizing gaze on his thoughts and emotions. 

Standing apart from himself he could examine his own vulnerabilities and weaknesses better. Weaknesses: his innocence, lack of experience and impatience. Vulnerabilities: his friends and family, his sense for justice. But how to overcome those? Calling up the words of the Jedi Code in front of his inner eye Luke's mouth hardened. He could not allow himself to let emotion get in the way of his duties. But then, experience was something he could only gain with time and exposure to the rest of the world. He could not stay here forever, musing about philosophy.

"Impatience, young Skywalker, the key to defeat it is," Master Yoda said quietly. Luke shook himself out of his trance and turned to face his teacher. 

"It is not impatience, Master, it is the simple truth." 

Yoda smiled and nodded: "Right you are. Experience you cannot learn here. But more lessons I have to teach you yet." 

Standing up, Luke bowed towards the ancient Jedi earnestly: "Then teach me."

"Excuse me, your lordship." Rolling his eyes in exasperation Anakin Skywalker stopped in mid-stride, which was, considering his usual energetic and fast pace, not such an easy feat. He managed gracefully though and turned towards the speaker with a slight, mocking bow. "Mon Mothma," he said, smiling at her. 

She stood next to General Dodonna at the rear of the 'Liberty's' bridge, a very good position to intercept her object of interest just after he had finished his daily round on the fleet's flagship. And he had obviously not managed to slip past her unnoticed, the way he would have preferred to. Holding her head high she arched her eyebrows coolly and returned his smile: "We need to talk, it would seem." 

He nodded sharply, but did not bother to hide his displeasure at this unwelcome disruption of the flow of his planning. What did she want? Following both her and the general to the bridge's debriefing room, Anakin already was working on how to make up for the time this unnecessary meeting would cost him.

"Please, take a seat," the rebel leader told him amiably and gestured towards one of the chairs. But he hesitated shortly before taking the offer, throwing a suspicious glance at Dodonna, who stood a meter or so behind him. 

"Will General Rieekan be joining us also?" 

She simply nodded, but her eyes seemed distant. Anakin frowned slightly, then reached out with the Force and let his mind slip into hers very gently. 

She was worried and he did not need the Force to guess that she was worrying about him. Apparently Mon Mothma doubted his loyalty. And most likely the entire Rebel High Command with her. "Lord Vader," she admonished him, shaking her head slightly. He would not pretend that he had done nothing to her and simply shrugged apologetically.

Just then Rieekan entered, threw a hard glance at the Dark Lord and took up his place standing about two meters away from Dodonna, legs planted wide apart. Anakin turned his head and smiled lazily at the two generals. They tried to ignore the unspoken threat behind his friendly expression, staring straight ahead. Laughing quietly he leaned back in chair slowly. 

"What is this supposed to be? An interrogation?"

"That depends on you entirely."

"Get to the point."

"Very well. Lord Vader, we are concerned."

"In what way?"

"Let us show you something that was recorded two days ago on Hoth."

He had a bad feeling about this. And really, as the scene unfolded on the holoproj he could feel his old anger stir in the back of his mind, building slowly but inevitably into a roaring fire of outrage. They dared! 

"Your explanation, Lord Vader?"

Mon Mothma shied away from his suddenly impossibly cold eyes.

"An agent of mine. Nothing more. I sent her on an errand."

"What errand? And how many agents are you hiding from us?"

Clenching his jaw he kept silent, trying to calm himself. She had done that on purpose, it was the only explanation for her blundering.

"There is a Super-class Star Destroyer under construction at the Kuat Drive Yards. She will make sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands."

"Ours?" 

He turned to look at Mon Mothma's smiling face, disbelieving. "A joke? You are turning this into a joke?" he growled. 

"Calm down. You will introduce that agent to us. And no more secrets, Lord Vader. I want to know exactly how you are going to defeat the Imperial Navy. Now."

"The whole plan?" he smiled at her.

"We know your original plan, Lord Vader, but from the recent defeats we deduce that changes will have to be made or maybe have already been made."

"Indeed," his eyes narrowed slightly. "What defeats?" 

Leia Organa had her eyes closed and was trying to relax. She had spent half the day sorting through the files of possible Imperial spies hidden among the rebels. Her father had not given her any time frame, so she tried to check everyone connected with a failed undercover mission. For there the most damage could be done by an enemy agent. 

So far she had not been too successful. A lot of suspects, but none of them really caught her immediate attention, the way her father had said it should be. Trust your instincts, he had told her, right after a lesson on paying no attention to emotion in battle. But this was no battle. At least not in the common sense. 

"Have you made any progress?" 

Rubbing sleepy eyes she sighed, the sigh turning into a hearty yawn. 

"You are tired. Go to bed." Leia shook her head slowly. "Is that the list?" he asked, pointing over her shoulder at the screen. 

"Yes." His right index finger moved down, hesitated: "That name." Suddenly wide awake the Princess leaned forward: 

"This one? What about it?" Turning her head she frowned up at him. 

"Clear it from the list." 

Leia smiled knowingly: "One of yours?" 

He nodded: "Clear it."

"Of course," Leia did as ordered. When the name was no longer part of the list she stared at the space it had previously occupied, feeling curiously empty. "Strange."

"What is?"

"That name. I just had the feeling that it was wrong to - delete it."

"You are getting good at that."

"At what?"

"Reading emotions." Again she turned to look at his face.

"Was it wrong to clear the name?"

"We shall see."

Leia was staring at him, as he leaned at the viewport's frame, a shadow against the darkness of space. His eyes were the only feature of his face that she could make out. And they frightened her. Something had changed, she could feel it. He had withdrawn from her,and she had to admit that she did not like that at all.

"Your friends distrust me."

"Yes. But I am sure that will change."

"They are trying to control me, and I do not like that at all."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"This is intolerable, Leia."

"But not my fault."

"No." 

When he closed those burning eyes Leia inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. It had been hard looking at them, but her pride forbade her to simply avoid his gaze. They had shared so much in the past days and she did not want him to go back to being nothing more than a warlord doing his job. 

Leia felt her scalp tingle. A warlord. Preparing for battle. The revelation sent her mind reeling and his suddenly whispered words nearly made her jump: 

"As it turns out part of my orders have been recalled. We have suffered some losses."

"Do you think they know that you are alive?"

He smiled coldly: "Not yet."

Amidala was sitting on the edge of a small fountain, her legs hidden underneath her long, blood-red skirt, and waited, the way she had for the last three days while pondering the question on how to best approach Tieman. Her dark eyes' scrutinizing gaze never left the entrance of the building opposite from her: The governor's palace. Today he would receive local petitioners and already a throng of people had assembled in front of the huge gates to the palace. Amidala's mouth twisted in distaste. That there were so many told her two things: that people were not content with life on Chandrilea, and that Governor Tieman was obviously well-liked. They trusted him. And that was a rare emotion these days, concerning any Imperial official. 

When the gates slowly opened she stood and walked over unhurriedly, joining the crowd. She wrapped a red shawl around her head carefully, hiding all of her face except for the dark eyes. Slipping through the people pressed tightly together she wrestled her way to the front with surprising strength and continued her waiting. It didn't take long before the first group of petitioners was led into the palace. Amidala kept her face turned to the floor, ignoring the cold beauty of the hallways. 

She had known Tieman for a long time and sincerely hoped that he could help her. No, he was obliged to help her in any way he could. Walking into the grand reception hall her first glance sought his face. Aged, worn, tired, were the words that came to her mind when she saw him sitting there. And then she was led towards him. Lowering herself to one knee demurely, Amidala closed her eyes for a moment to regain her calm, then turned her face up to meet his eyes. 

He stared down at her, mouth slightly agape, then swallowed once. Waving his aide forward he whispered something, gesturing at the still kneeling woman. The aide nodded gently, then helped Amidala rise again. "My lady, if you would follow me?" he murmured at her with a smile and she nodded, letting him guide her towards a small door behind the governor's chair.

He offered a seat to her and left again, leaving her to examine her new surroundings closely. Here too only few furniture was spaced widely throughout the room. Clear lines and colours dominated. She smiled to herself. As straight and unbending as Tieman himself. Sighing she unwrapped the shawl and draped it around her shoulders, the soft fabric caressing her bare arms. It was a feeling that reminded her of times long past, of Naboo, the sunlit terrace, his hands on her shoulders, easing away the tension of the day. 

No. She would not think of him now. That traitor. Suddenly angry, Amidala tore the long shawl away and threw it on the floor. Still upset she stood abruptly and walked over to the window, pounding a fist hard against the glass. A shame it did not break. She really needed to-- 

She jumped when she heard the door open suddenly behind her. Where had her self-control gone to anyway? Turning around gracefully Amidala put on her most queenly expression. And stared. Tieman was not alone. A man was standing at his side, his pale eyes studying her intently. Despite the poor garments he wore she could see an experienced soldier in his rigid posture and hard gaze. 

"We can speak freely, my friend," Tieman said with a smile and Amidala caught herself before she could utter an ironic remark on the court rules. He had not meant her, after all. Resuming her seat, she kept on watching the two men. The soldier was still looking at her, even as Tieman led him further away. 

Captain Needa watched the stranger with interest. Her beauty was intriguing: haughty, sad, proud and otherworldly. A queen, that was what she was. Had to be. He smiled at her faintly. 

"Lorth, I can think of only one reason for you to be here." 

Turning around to face Tieman, the Captain nodded once.

"And your answer?"

"I need some assurance, my friend."

"We will win. With your help we will."

"What do you need?"

"Your promise that you will surrender the planet to us when the time is right."

"What about the Imperial garrison?"

"As I recall, the Tarkin Doctrine has given the governors complete and total control of their

systems. Am I right?" 

Tieman laughed: "In theory, yes. But with what has happened recently the military is acting as if they ruled Chandrilea."

"Do not worry about them. What about the local rebels?"

"You want to contact them?"

"I may have to, but for now I have another question: who is she?"

Both men turned to face the small woman sitting as quiet as a statue on a chair in front of the tall window overlooking the open plaza. Tieman took Needa's arm and led him over to the window.

Lowering himself down on one knee he dragged the Captain down with him. Needa shot him a questioning, slightly bewildered glance, but knelt too. 

"Rise, my friend," she said softly, but Needa noticed the cold edge in her voice.

Tieman did as ordered and the Captain frowned at the woman deeply. 

"Lorth, this Queen Amidala of the Naboo." 

"An honour, your majesty," he answered, bowing slightly. Naboo. What a coincidence. Or was it? When he looked up again Amidala was smiling at him. So he had been right with his assumption.

"Tieman is exaggerating. I fear that I am not a queen anymore. And who am I addressing?"

"I am Lorth Needa, formerly Captain of the Imperial Navy." He saw her straighten and tense. "But not anymore."

"So you serve the Rebellion now?"

"Yes."

"I am pleased to hear that."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, your majesty, but I fear that I cannot stay any longer." Facing Tieman again he gave the governor a sharp nod. "Will you think about my offer?"

"I will."

"Good. I will contact you again."

Tieman squeezed the Captain's shoulder in a friendly manner and smiled: "Best of luck to you, my friend."

"And to you."

Amidala watched Needa leave pensively. He had seemed taken aback at hearing her name. What did he know about her? Hopefully not too much. 

"My Queen," Tieman began, but she silenced him with a gesture of her hand: "Please. These times are over. Forever."

Suddenly the comm fastened at the governor's collar beeped discreetly. 

"What is it?"

"Governor, the Star Destroyer 'Relentless' has announced its arrival."

"The 'Relentless'. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank you. I will welcome the Admiral here. Please send the rest of today's petitioners away and prepare everything."

"At once."

Amidala saw him take a deep breath. Frowning, her gaze turned instinctively towards the window, as if the warship was already looming over the city.

"What does it mean?"

"Your majesty, the 'Relentless' is the flagship of the new Imperial commander. I do not know what he wants, but it would be a good idea for you to go back into hiding."

She hesitated. "I have a friend who is giving me shelter. But I would not want to endanger him..."

"I understand. And I will help you contact the rebels here."

Stepping closer to the forward viewport of the Grand Admiral's meditation chamber Captain Piett looked down upon the green jewel of Chandrilea. His homeworld. Behind him Thrawn had not stirred at all. 

"Sir, if I may ask," his face hardened," why we are here?" If Thrawn wanted to press him into something by threatening that planet -- 

"Captain, rest assured that your worries are unjustified." 

Turning around slowly, Piett watched the alien Admiral rise gracefully and activate the two rings of holo-displays centering around his meditation chair. The images coming to life all around the dimly lit room, glowing in their own bluish light, brought back childhood memories. Piett remembered vases and statues like these standing on cupboards and tables in his parents' house. 

"Then why are we here?"

"You are overstepping yourself, Captain. And I am warning you only once. This time."

"Understood, sir."

"Very good." Studying the images intently, Thrawn started walking along the display-rings slowly. "You are a native of this planet, Captain. Would you describe the population as easily led or rather independent? "

Piett hesitated: "They trust in good leadership."

"Indeed. It makes them feel safe. Does it not?" Closing his eyes the Captain simply nodded. "These items are conveying to the onlooker a sense of great peace and profound calm. Nothing does disturb the surface. Perfect."

"Yes."

"Governor Tieman is no native. And my local informant tells me that he is conspiring with the rebels. A capital offence, don't you think?"

"Yes. Indeed."

"We will need to talk to him, Captain." 

"I will have your shuttle prepared immediately."

Wrenga Jixton concentrated on landing their ship on the icy deck of the Hoth base's South hangar, waiting for Mara's approval. But she simply snorted before heaving herself out of the copilot's chair to limp back into the ship's rec area.

He ignored her deliberately when he walked over to open the entry hatch. She did likewise. 

"Do you want me to accompany you to the medical ward?" he asked her finally, sighing.

"No."

"That's alright. But let me tell you one thing: You got it all wrong."

"Really. Why don't you tell your favourite Uncle Dee?"

"I will, don't you worry."

Stalking through the icy corridors of the base, Jix was fuming. He would tell him alright. 

Vader was seated at his desk, deeply immersed in reading some report. 

"Jix. You are back," he said calmly.

"You bet I am."

"Your mission succeeded, I take it?"

"Yes."

"What about Mara?"

"She - failed."

Vader looked up at him coolly. "What makes you think she did?"

Jix froze. 

"No, Jix. She did not fail at all."

"You had this planned."

"Of course."

"She could have died, you know?"

"Possibly. But I was certain that you would save her. And you did not disappoint me."

"You are mad, do you know that?"

"I do know that I don't like that sort of tone out of your mouth, Jixton."

"And you think I care?" Jix hissed in a low voice, truly angry. Leaning over the desk threateningly his blue eyes sought Vader's gaze.

"Calm down, will you?"

"I cannot believe this! She is too good to lose!"

"No need to tell me. But this will make her next mission that much more credible."

"Next mission? She is hardly in any shape for another mission!"

"Wrong. For this one her condition is just perfect."

"What are you gonna have her do then?"

"She will join Thrawn and keep an eye on him for me."

"And what will he get in turn for not having her executed on the spot for treason?"

"You. Or rather, some interesting information about you."

"You must be kidding."

"Not at all. I can contact Mara at any time and she will give me the information I need while you are distracting our precious Grand Admiral."

"No way. And besides, don't you think that just maybe she might have lost her trust in you?"

"Unimportant."

"Is it? Is it really? I shall say this only once, because I am pretty sure that the next time you _will_ kill me: Mara is not the only one losing her trust in you. And if you lose your troops' trust you will lose their loyalty in the end."

Vader stared at him, cold blue eyes unblinking. His voice was a low growl when he hissed: "Go. Now."

Jix straightened abruptly: "Very well." Turning on his heels he took a few steps, then hesitated.

"You knew that Thrawn was back, didn't you?"

There was no answer. But he hadn't really expected one anyway.

Baring his teeth in a silent snarl Anakin Skywalker rose from his seat and, whirling around, smashed the computer screen with his left hand. It hurt, but that was just fine with him. It ought to. Staring at the broken glass, the sharp shards strewn across his desk, he shook his head furiously. He hated feeling on edge like this. Mon Mothma was trying to control him, the Council deliberately countermanded his orders, and Jix' outbreak had done nothing to ease the urgency he felt overcoming his senses slowly. Taking a deep breath, he fought down the angry fire burning in the back of his mind and left the room too.

"Interesting," was the Grand Admiral's only comment as he turned away from the mirror glass which allowed the two of them to look into the interrogation cell. 

Piett didn't reply. He stared at Tieman's bruised and beaten form slumped over the chair beyond the window. Interesting indeed. 

"Captain, have our troops search the planet. Alert the garrison to join the hunt."

"Yes, sir. What about him?"

"He will be executed, of course. Later. Come now, we have a traitor to capture."

Amidala had donned her brown combat uniform and her long hair was bound back in a simple braid. Tieman had given her detailed directions to the closest rebel camp. But it was not there anymore. Only burned bodies and earth remained. So. The Imperial troops had been faster. Her lips tightening in a grim line she crawled back into the underbrush, moving deftly without making hardly any sound. But she could hear his breathing clearly. Turning around quickly she pressed the muzzle of her blaster to his forehead.

"Needa!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you."

"They are gone."

"Yes. I can see that. What do you propose to do now?"

"Come with me."

"Why should I trust you?"

"I cannot give you any reason save for your freedom, my queen."

Amidala frowned, her thoughts congealing into a blank mass until she managed to defeat her own fear and distrust. The last time she had trusted anyone it had spelled disaster for all those she had ever loved. The last time... Shaking her head she gave Needa a tight smile:

"Let's go."

Han Solo was pleased with his efforts. They had installed the units in every Star Destroyer they had and the central unit was safely embedded in the 'Liberty's' comm centre. Right now he was on his way to join Leia for dinner. She did look beautiful in a dark green combat suit and her chocolate eyes were sparkling in the dimly lit room. Eyeing the dinner table he felt his mouth watering. 

"This looks just perfect."

"Hungry?"

"Hm-hm," he mumbled, kissing her deeply. Fending him off she laughed quietly:

"Come on, take a seat."

He did as ordered and smiled broadly at her. She was fairly glowing in his eyes and he knew that he loved her more than he ever had loved anyone before. The warm sensation of happiness filling him to bursting every time he looked at her was the only proof he needed.

"Have you uncovered the agents yet?"

She grimaced slightly: "Let's not talk about that now."

They ate in silence, each pondering their own thoughts and worries. Finally Han mused aloud:

"I've heard rumours..."

"What rumours?"

"The crews are talking, you know, about that mysterious, nameless ally we seem to have."

"I know. I have heard those too."

"And?"

"I have talked to Father about it. He says that I should not worry about it."

"But if they find out who he is they will lynch him."

"Mon Mothma is suggesting to reveal his identity to the troops too. Not to his face, mind you. He is strictly against it."

"Why?"

She shrugged: "Part of his strategy, I would guess."

"What?"

"I don't know, Han. I just think that he knows more than he is letting on."

"Yes. I get that impression too."

"Lord Vader, you here?" Mon Mothma greeted him mockingly. He flashed her a smile and took a seat opposite from her.

"Do you remember me telling you about necessary deception and Imperial agents?"

"I remember."

"Good. The deception needs to hold for a little while longer. And I wanted to ask you to be patient until the time is right."

"People are already talking. I would rather tell them myself than have others do it."

"I think the same. But we have to hold on. For the sake of appearances."

"For the sake of appearances? What do you mean?"

"The Imperials think me dead. If they find out the truth we will be in trouble."

"Really? I would have thought that they would surrender more easily when knowing that you are leading our troops."

"A compliment. Charming. But unfortunately you are mistaken. By the way, my agents have returned from their latest mission."

"So I have heard."

"The debriefing starts in one hour."

"Good. I am looking forward to that."

Leaving the rebel leader's office Anakin could not help but smile to himself. If she thought that she had him under control she was in for a nasty surprise. Jix' report would shed light on a few things and if Mon Mothma was able to draw the right conclusions, and he knew she would, she would realize that controlling him would only blunt his edge. 

No. He needed to be able to move without having to justify his actions to anyone, or even reveal his plans beforehand. Especially with enemy spies around. She would realize it. And Jix would understand why losing the trust of his troops what exactly what he was aiming at. In time he would. 

Leia was eyeing her father closely. He was leaning against the wall, brooding, and ignored the quiet assembly totally. They were seated at the conference table. All of them, the entire Rebel High Command, Han, Chewie, and Jix, of course. Everyone except for Mara, who was still too weak to attend this meeting. Jix had just finished his report on the mission to Coruscant and there had been a heated discussion about the irresponsibility of having the mainframe deleted. Thus the icy silence filling the room. In the end it was Han who broke it, clearly weary of this and concerned about something else that Jix had said.

"I don't see a problem here. We have our own master strategist after all, right?"

All eyes turned towards the Dark Lord, who smiled faintly.

"I am afraid that Thrawn has beaten me in simulations for more times than I care to remember."

Leia watched Jix stare at her father suspiciously. 

"And what are you planning to do now?"

"We will attack Obra-Skai, of course."

"But they will expect us there," General Dodonna put in, exasperated.

"Yes and no."

"Meaning?"

"They will definitely expect an attack, but Thrawn will have concluded that I am trying to move him in a certain direction. And he will not tolerate that. This battle will be a test, our first exchange in real combat, where he can study my tactics. But he will strike in earnest somewhere else."

"Where?"

"On Chandrilea."

Mon Mothma gasped in surprise: "You sent Needa there on purpose, to discredit Tieman. Am I right?"

"Partly. Thrawn no doubt knew about Tieman's disloyalty. The governor's aide actually is a spy of the Imperial Court. And proper procedure," here he gave Mon Mothma a cold smile, "demand that Tieman be executed for treason."

"What?"

"He is very well-liked by the population and our teams there have done good work. When he dies Chandrilea will most certainly rebel. And we will support their efforts."

Mon Mothma stared at him, disbelieving. She shook her head slightly, closed her eyes. Leia smiled helplessly. What had they expected? He _was_ cold, had to be. No need to be so surprised now. 

"Will you lead the battle at Obra-Skai yourself?" she asked her father quietly, anticipating his next move.

"No." She nodded, satisfied and he smiled at her proudly. Well done, he seemed to say.

But General Rieekan had no possibility to understand that exchange. Furious, he rose from his seat:

"But you just told us that this battle would be important!"

"Did I? I just said that Thrawn will expect to learn more about his opponent from it."

Now Mon Mothma got it: "But you will not grant him that opportunity."

"Exactly. General Dodonna will be in command of our fleet."

"And lose."

"Yes. If that is possible?" Anakin threw Dodonna a questioning glance and the man nodded slowly, indicating his approval.

Mon Mothma eyed the two of them speculatively, then rose form her seat:

"Lord Vader, although we all will have to get used to your methods I think it is time to put our distrust and enmitiesto rest. I give you full command of our fleet and troops." Staring hard at her generals she waited for them to grumble an acquiescence before continuing: "You will need someone to help you, no doubt." 

He nodded. 

"Good. I will find someone. Unless you want to choose yourself?"

"I trust your judgement there."

"Thank you. This meeting is closed."

Leia had an arm draped around Han's waist as they walked towards her quarters, and she leaned against his shoulder tiredly. It was good to feel his warmth at her side, his quiet strength, so much more soothing than her father's fiery presence that he knew so well to hide behind a cool exteriour. They had ceased her strategy lessons some days ago. And his decision to take one of Mon Mothma's most trusted aides instead of his daughter told Leia that something else was going on. Anakin must realize that Mon Mothma had suggested this only to continue her control on a more subtle level. Despite that he had accepted. Clearly a concession on his part. But to what? 

And this Thrawn. She could not believe that he had not known about him all along. He was playing with everyone, it seemed: the Alliance, the Imperials, even with Jix and Mara. She remembered that little conversation she had had with Jix after he had nearly run her over when storming out of the meeting room. "I heard that Mara is injured," she had told him gently and he had hissed back that it was not his fault, clearly convinced that her father had let the former Emperor's Hand run into that trap on purpose. Maybe he had. And most certainly he had his reasons for it. 

Sitting on the edge of the infirmary bed Anakin watched Mara coolly. She was fast asleep and he would not disturb her. After all, she would need to regain her strength soon. Thrawn might not trust her at first, but if everything went as planned he would have no choice but to accept her help. And his sending a former Imperial, and furthermore Force-trained, agent to oversee Thrawn would soothe the Council immensely. Hopefully. They were suspicious enough. And he did not like their trying to interfere at all. No. Mara at Thrawn's side would benefit them both. Rising from his seat he threw a last glance at the sleeping agent and left.

"Jix!" the Corellian turned around to face him coldly. 

"What do you want?"

"You will take a team and wipe out the agentsThrawn will no doubt send to uncover the files from Obra-Skai."

"No."

"No. Then you are giving up?"

"No. I will not leave on any mission for you unless you tell me what you are planning."

"Jix, may I remind you that you agreed to follow my orders without questioning?"

"Maybe I will just leave."

"You haven't until now. And if you do I will kill you personally."

"Very convincing," Jix replied sarcastically and suppressed a small scream when Vader's hand shot out and grabbed his throat. But he caught himself quickly. "You tried that before," he croaked, "And it still doesn't work." When the Dark Lord increased his pressure on his throat Jix started choking. Still Vader did not stop.

"Too much is at stake here. You are lucky that I need you still." Close to losing his consciousness, his blood buzzing in his ears, Jix shivered when heard him whisper: "Do not try to defy me again, Wrenga Jixton." And then he blacked out.

Grand Admiral Thrawn was calmly studying the layout of the two fleets opposing each other over the peaceful planet of Obra-Skai. The local government had tried hailing the Imperial fleet time and again, but Thrawn forbade any answer. "Let them worry," he had told Piett with a small smile and the Captain had simply nodded. Piett understood the importance of this battle too. It was a test, nothing more. It did not really matter who won it. They had received news from Coruscant that the damage done by the recent virus attack on the mainframe had been nearly repaired and that the city more or less functioned again. Meaning that this threat was over. 

"Sir, they are moving," Piett said suddenly, keeping an eye on the advancing enemy ships.

"I can see that. Captain, have the 'Death's Head' and the 'Chimaera' move forward. Keep this ship on course and stand by."

"Yes, sir."

Waiting, they watched the two Star Destroyers leave the protective line of the seven ships assembled on the Imperial side. The Rebels seemed to hesitate at first and Piett saw Thrawn's lips twitch in disgust. Then three ships moved over to intercept the 'Chimaera', whose position put them closer to the other armada than her sister ship. 

"They will attack us from the rear. Release our fighters to intercept them."

"Yes, sir."

"He is playing again, Captain."

"What do you mean?"

"That is not him leading those troops. This attack is too unimaginative for that. Which leaves the question. Captain, inform Captain Palleon of the 'Chimaera' that he is to take over here. We are leaving. Set course for Chandrilea."

"The 'Relentless' is leaving," General Dodonna announced with a smile and turned around to face his crew. "Let's give our boys down there some more time and then we are out of here." When the comm officer waved discreetly to get his attention his smile froze. 

"What is it?"

"It is a call from High Command."

"A call from -?" Dodonna began, then rushed forward to take the call.

"Are they gone?" Vader asked coolly.

"Yes, the flagship has just left the system."

"Good, very good. Would you mind my taking over?"

"No," Dodonna answered weakly, "not at all."

Wrenga Jixton slipped into the empty hallway noiselessly and raised his hand slowly. The other five team members remained in their position and waited for him to move again. When he did they followed closely. He did not take any notice of them. His mind was on something else. And that was not good on a mission like this. Trying to concentrate Jix' thoughts nevertheless once again slipped back to his discussion with Vader back on Hoth. Discussion! Jix snorted loudly, earning himself a few bewildered looks from his teammates. Vader was trying to push him into rebelling against him. Why, he did not care, but he knew one thing: he would not let the Sith do this to him. 

"Jix," Page hissed from behind. 

"What?" 

"We have to go in now. We are running out of time."

Walking the crowded corridors of the 'Dominator' towards the bridge, Anakin Skywalker frowned deeply. The plan had moved well into its second phase and everything was in the right place. Now to move on to number three. The battle of Obra-Skai was decided and Dodonna could handle mopping up the floor easily. Jix would take care of the Imperial agents and bring back Mara's present for Thrawn: the missing files he would need very soon. Laughing softly he shook his head. He loved this game. And once phase three was finished he would be free to move on.

Thrawn had no choice but to believe that his opponent would strike on Chandrilea. And he would not grant him any advantage. Anakin had ordered five cruisers to intercept the 'Relentless' before it could reach the planet. Unfortunately that would not save Tieman, but he had to make this sacrifice. 

Once Chandrilea joined the Rebellion the Empire would seek revenge. At least that was what everyone would expect. Who cared that Thrawn' methods usually were much more subtle than that? No one.

Entering the bridge he strode up to the viewport briskly and stared down at the ice planet of Hoth. 

Leia was down there, with Solo, no doubt. He had stopped her training for a while because he felt that it demanded too much of her at times. She had other obligations too. To herself, to the Rebels.

Just like he had his own obligations to someone else.

Holding the handle of his lightsabre tightly, Luke at the same time tried to keep his wrists flexible. 

He gave his opponent a sharp nod and concentrated. Opposite from him Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled and moved forward. Fighting a spectre was, of course, not an ideal condition for improving his swordplay, but Master Yoda had refused to go beyond the theory. Luke didn't mind. Slashing his in a wide arc he pushed his former teacher in the defensive, at the same time testing his reactions. The Jedi Master ducked out of the way instead of moving back and Luke just barely avoided the other's spectral blade. 

Slightly surprised, he whirled around his opponent in a half-circle, stopped abruptly and turned back again. As expected, Obi-Wan had followed his movements and now had left his right side unprotected. Striking quickly, Luke had the satisfaction of seeing his teacher jump in surprise. Calling a break, Obi-Wan frowned at his student: "You are good. Much better than you should be after this short period of training." Luke's face was flushed not only with exhaustion and he avoided the other's scrutinizing gaze, busying himself with massaging his wrists. 

"I practised a bit on my own," he answered finally. 

"Only a bit?" The Jedi Master laughed: "I think even your father would have a hard time standing against you." The young Jedi was beaming with pride. "Once you have learned to defend yourself better," Obi-Wan added dryly and attacked again.

He stared at the small man sitting in the visitor chair in front of his desk eyeing the office shyly. A bespeckled pale face, dark, thick hair, light green eyes. "Who are you?" Anakin asked suspiciously. The man jumped up and inclined his head with a timid smile: 

"Mon Mothma sent me. I am your new aide." 

"Then you must be Jay Gerran."

"Yes."

"I have read your resume and your latest accomplishments. I am very pleased with Mon Mothma's choice."

"Thank you, sir." 

Anakin smiled at him cruelly: "You know who I am?"

The man uttered a nervous laugh: "No, not really." 

"But?"

"Well, I have heard rumours."

"Rumours."

"People say that, well. Some think that you are a Sith."

"Actually they are right. But I hope that won't bother you, Gerran."

"No, sir," the man answered weakly and swallowed once.

"Good. Here is your first task. You will inform the Captains of the following ships that I want to see them in five hours."

Just then Wrenga Jixton stormed into the room and stopped short upon spotting Gerran.

"I am back. Who the hell is that?"

"May I introduce Jay Gerran to you."

"Gerran. Great. What is he doing here?"

"He is my new aide."

"Your _aide_?"

"Indeed."

"Can I talk to you? In private?"

"Of course. Gerran, I am sure you know what you have to do." Handing over a datacard Anakin dismissed the aide with a distant smile.

"Yes, sir." Throwing a suspicious and yet startled look at Jix the man left. 

The agent was grinning broadly at his retreating back. "What a twerp," he commented heart-felt.

"Yes. Definitely. What do you want?"

Whirling around again to face him, Jix' face became grim:

"I just wanted to tell you that I won't let you push me around. If you are trying to make me quit you won't succeed."

"I never would do that," the Dark Lord answered innocently.

"No? Good. What is my next assignment?"

TBC


	3. Deception and Truth

****

The Art of War

Disclaimer: The characters belong to someone else.

Again, thanks to my beta Redone and to Kee for her input. If you are new to this story, here are the links to [Part1][1] and [Part 2][2]

Part 3: Deception and Truth

Mara Jade had a hard time waking up and when she finally did she wished she hadn't. It was incredibly hot and warm raindrops were splashing from the black sky down on her forehead, the sweet, lukewarm water running into her eyes and into her mouth freely. No. This was not real. It was nothing but a dream. A nightmare. Looking around wildly she finally spotted the tall figure standing on the ledge. Mara stared at him for a while, then walked forward to stand at his side. 

Anakin Skywalker turned his head slowly to face her, a grim smile on his dried-out lips, his scarred face deadly pale. She followed his gaze down, and screamed, when she saw the blood on her hands. Wiping at her eyes and mouth in disgust, trying to get rid of the sickly sweet liquid, Mara shook her head furiously. "What is this?" she screamed at him. But he did not answer. Again he smiled at her, but this time his blue eyes turned into a sea of red. Turning away he jumped off the ledge. She stood, shocked. And then the vision faded away.

"Jade," the cool voice soothed away her burning fear and she opened her eyes slowly to meet his calm gaze. She did not reply. But she knew that the question was plain on her mind. He leaned towards her, steepling his fingers in front of his face as he looked down at her. 

"Why me?" she managed finally. Vader smiled. 

"Because you are the best for this job," he whispered. Very suddenly the vision flashed in her mind. Blood on her hands. His blood, she knew. 

"I am not sure I can do it," Mara answered, feeling as if the floor gave way underneath her. 

"You will make it, Jade." Standing slowly he nodded at her once and for a second a cruel smile flashed across his face. Then he was gone.

Mara shivered in the dark and closed her eyes tightly. He was manipulating her just like everyone else and she hated the ease with which he did it. She did not like him much. His unpredictability, his arrogance, all that was putting her on edge. Dealing with Palpatine had been much easier. Of course, he had kept secrets from her too, had expected her total obedience, but he had cared for her in his own way and Mara found that his approval had been most important to her then, nothing more. And she had believed in his Empire. Until she realized that its ideals were as false as Palpatine's caring. 

But Vader. Vader did not care about anyone, except maybe for his children. The man had no ideals, he just loved to play games. Mara never had been one for games. And she could not understand why Jix liked him that much. True, he was admirable in his very own way. But it was not her way. 

Whatever he wanted her to do, she decided there and then that she would not return from that mission.

Anakin strode into the meeting room quietly, his senses focused on the fifteen captains of the former Imperial Star Destroyers. Giving them a sharp nod he gestured for them to take their seats. 

"Gentlemen," he began, "What I am asking of you today will not be easy for you to understand. Some of you may even resent my orders. But they are necessary. Very much so."

Anakin paused and smiled at his captains reassuringly:

"Your ships have all been equipped with a special device, which will broadcast a false code, identifying you as loyal Imperial ships. You will split up into five groups of three and strike simultaneously the targets I have selected for you. They all are worlds on the brink of rebellion." 

He waited for the sudden buzzing of their voices to subside. Anakin could feel the outrage and confusion in their thoughts and he understood those feelings well. 

Attacking civilian targets was something any decent Imperial and Rebel commander simply could not sanction, at least inwardly. But these attacks, undoubtedly expected of the Navy due to his own methods as Imperial commander, would demote the Empire immensely and put Thrawn under pressure. So much pressure that the Grand Admiral would gladly take the one way out he would offer him in time. But Thrawn was no fool, on the contrary. And if Anakin could not push his plan through fast enough everything would fall apart. 

Even now time was getting short, since the Grand Admiral was slowly but inevitably catching up on him, despite the months Anakin was ahead in planning. "Gentlemen," interrupting the angry discussion he rose from his seat, his height itself intimidating, but nothing compared to the dead-pan expression on his face: "Your orders are clear. And I expect you all to succeed."

When Anakin left again he shook his head slightly. They were afraid of him and Gerran was right. Rumour had it that he was a redeemed Sith, one of Palpatine's Dark Jedi. A nice tale, really, not far from the truth too. Except for the one fact that a nameless Sith Lord could walk these ships and this base unmolested, whereas Darth Vader would already be dead. Mon Mothma had made it clear right from the beginning that his immunity could not last forever. She wanted people to learn the truth, and all of it, the good and the bad. It was a very generous offer and he was grateful for it. Others might not even have bothered listening to him, let alone let him lead their troops. And all this made it so much harder for him to continue his plan. 

Deep down inside he knew that he should follow the ways of the Jedi again, instead of using Sith methods, and he truly longed for that clean, clear path, free of these lies and half-truths. But Master Yoda had seen the necessity of carrying this deception further and Obi-Wan had also agreed. That was why Luke had returned to Dagobah. To take his father's place as guardian, as defender, while he himself moved through allies and enemies alike, sowing confusion and walking a very thin line between Light and Dark. 

It was dangerous, and he was well aware of the fact that the Rebel Alliance would not hesitate to sacrifice him, if need be. Anakin had accepted that risk willingly because he wanted to make at least some of his mistakes undone, as far as that was possible. Healing. They all needed that. Even if it meant his death in the end.

Leia stormed into her father's quarters finding them empty. She closed her eyes gently, getting a feel for the place. He had not been here in a while. Very well. Just as she turned around to leave again her eyes caught something lying on his desk. Hesitating at first Leia found that her curiosity finally won over and took the holoimage carefully. It showed the picture of a woman, pale face smiling gently, dark hair framing her face and falling in soft waves down over her shoulders. Her petite frame was covered by a dark red uniform, making her look fierce despite her small height. Leia smiled. She looks like me, she thought, a bit at least. 

"I see that you found it." Leia did not need to turn around to know who it was. She smiled ruefully at the picture and put it back at its place. 

"Why did you hide that from me?" 

"I did not hide it. You never asked to see her."

"But you could have shown me nevertheless, you know?"

"I know." 

Leia hesitated: "Father, would you tell me now, how..."

"How what?" he snapped and Leia winced at his harsh tone. Her mother was not something he liked talking about, that much she had gathered so far. This time though she was prepared to fight. She walked over to where he stood at the viewport, his accustomed place whenever they were not training and she was with him. Usually she would take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs and they would talk. And usually she did not mind him not looking at her when they did. But this was too important to her. 

To her horror he was crying when she finally reached his side at the window. Silent tears were streaming down his cheeks, while his face betrayed no emotion at all. Despite that Leia could sense the grief, his very private pain. She felt her heart go out to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him gently. "You don't have to talk about it," she whispered soothingly, and saw him blink his eyes once. He did not reply, but his left hand reached out to lie on her shoulders lightly. 

Leia closed her eyes, losing herself in the warmth of the love she felt envelop them both. Her mind became calmer, until nothing remained but the feeling of happiness she knew he had missed dearly for a long time. Finally he took her face in his hands and bent down to kiss the crown of her head. "Thank you," he said, his voice choked with tears and emotion. When he gently brushed his fingertips over her cheekbone with a sad smile and turned away abruptly to vanish into the bedroom she knew that this discussion was over. But one day, she swore, one day she would learn the truth from him.

Eyeing Master Yoda calmly, Luke Skywalker sat opposite from the tiny alien in the Jedi's small hut. There was a feeling in the air, one of portent and full of tension. And although Luke could taste it on his mind as if it were a tangible thing, he did not let himself be carried away in its swirling, warm embrace. He felt that this was not necessary. After all, as long as he had not determined the source of this feeling he could hardly act upon it. 

Finally Yoda broke the silence: "Much learned you have, young Skywalker. Progressed well in understanding the Force. Soon now your trials will begin, but first a test you will have to pass." 

A test? Luke suppressed a frown. Why should there be a test before he took the trials? If Master Yoda did not think him ready, which the prospect of a test implied, why had the old Jedi agreed to letting Luke face the trials at all? 

"Doubt you have, do you?" Yoda asked, a tiny smile on his lips. 

"Yes, master. Are we running out of time?" 

The alien's moss-green eyes flickered in surprise: "Indeed much you have learned. But more I cannot reveal until the test you have passed." 

Luke nodded solemnly: "Then let me begin."

The tree was old and full of darkness. It intrigued the young Jedi immediately and Master Yoda seemed to be pleased with his student's reaction. "Your fear you have mastered. Impatient you are no longer. Ready you are. Now face your destiny." Luke let the alien's words sink into his mind, memorizing them instantly. My destiny. He swallowed once, then set his shoulders and walked forward. 

He found the gaping hole that marked the entrance to what seemed to be a cave instantly. Without hesitating he slipped down the slope, burying his hands in the dark, moist earth for support. His senses alert, Luke was mapping out the cave as he crept along the low walls deeper into the darkness. Darkness. Of course. This was a test to see if he was prone to falling to the Dark Side. Luke smiled broadly. Well, he knew his place. There was no darkness in his heart, that he was sure of. 

"Do not let yourself become distracted." 

The young Jedi nearly jumped at the sudden sound of his father's voice. Anakin Skywalker stood shrouded in shadows for a moment, before he came forward to meet his son. 

"What do you mean?"

"Concentrate on the matter at hand. Only when you know your goal can you plan ahead."

"Then what is my goal?"

"Your destiny is not mine, Luke. You will have to see for yourself."

When the cave suddenly disappeared, the young man unconsciously took a step back and stared. It was hot here, and nothing stirred under the pitch-black sky. Raindrops fell lazily and burst on the rough cliffs they both stood upon. Anakin Skywalker turned away from his son and started walking towards the edge. Luke followed closely and reached out to catch his father's shoulder, holding him back. Standing side by side they looked down into the valley. There, in the distance, Luke could just make out the figure of a woman. She wore a blood-red dress and her dark hair fell in gentle waves over her shoulders. And although he could not make out her features he was almost certain that he should know her.

Frowning, Luke turned towards his father: "Who is she?" he asked quietly, but Anakin did not answer. Blue eyes intent on the valley bottom he smiled and took a step forward. Luke screamed when his father vanished over the ledge, out of sight. But he hesitated before following. And indeed, the Dark Lord appeared unharmed at the edge of the valley and started walking towards the woman. But every step he took sent her farther away. Deeply troubled Luke blinked his eyes and found himself back in the dark cave. Leaving unhurriedly he walked towards Master Yoda, who sat quietly upon a fallen tree, regarding his student calmly. 

"I have to find her," Luke told him softly.

"Yes."

"Where do I begin?"

Captain Needa sat cross-legged in the pilot's chair of his nondescript ship. Working the controls he regarded the sensor read-outs closely:

"The Relentless is definitely gone. We better make our move now." 

The small woman lounging next to him didn't look up. "And you are sure that we will be able to get back to your friends?" 

"I am sure." 

"It is just that I have a hard time trusting you."

"Because I was an Imperial Captain?"

"Yes."

"That is alright. You are only being cautious. I can understand that."

"Tell me, Captain, how did you end up with the Alliance?"

Needa concentrated on the lift-off and waited until the ship was headed straight for their jump-point before answering:

"That is a rather complicated story."

"Do you want to tell me?"

"Only if you tell me why you are looking for the Alliance."

"Touché," she replied, smiling. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Pakrat Minor. Mostly agriculture. They are pretty upset because they are only allowed to produce for the Navy, while others make the dealings with the big food corporations."

"Money? They are willing to leave the Empire for money?"

"Surprised?"

"No. But I find it sad to hear that people have to be bought before they decide to fight for the right side."

"Not everyone is bought."

"I thought you didn't want to talk about how you came to join the Alliance?"

Needa looked at her smiling face. Thought back on his last meeting with Lord Vader. Maybe if she would trust him more easily if he told her at least part of the story.

"Very well. But then it is your turn." Amidala simply nodded. 

"The Imperial Navy has become increasingly corrupt, uncaring and selfish."

"Only the Navy?"Amidala interrupted him, smiling. 

Needa's eyes narrowed slightly before he answered coolly:

"I have been a soldier for nearly all of my life. I only know the Navy. But you are right, of course, that does not only apply to the military."

He took a deep breath and continued more pleasantly:

"Anyway.Now imagine one man at the top of the pack, who is nothing like that. He may be cold and cruel at times, but you have the feeling that the needs of the people are foremost on his mind. When you admire that man deeply for his military skills and insight into the affairs of the people and he decides to abandon a system you yourself do not believe in anymore, you cannot but follow. Am I right?"

Amidala did not answer at first. He watched her closely and it was hard not to miss the sadness and pain in her eyes. 

"He sounds like someone I once knew," she said finally.

"Where -?" Needa began, but she interrupted him immediately.

"He is dead now. And it doesn't matter anymore."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"You needn't be, Captain. He has not deserved your caring, nor mine for that matter."

"What happened?"

"You are lucky that this is part of why I need to find the Alliance," she told him flippantly.

"Oh. Good. What was his name?"

"Anakin."

The sudden alarm screeching through the cockpit startled both of them. 

"What is it?" Amidala demanded, frowning. Checking the sensors and the distance to their jump-point, Needa's mouth turned into a grim line. 

"Five ships have just jumped into the system."

"Imperial?"

"No."

"But that is just great. We have to hail them immediately."

Needa hesitated. Those were a lot of cruisers to attack this temporarily under-defended planet. But the garrison would send up their ships and fighters soon and he did not want to get caught in that battle. Additionally those five ships told him something else.

"We are leaving."

"But - ," the queen protested.

"The Relentless will be back and we cannot know if she's got reinforcements with her. Best not to take any chances. We will join the Alliance soon enough."

Pulling back the hyperdrive lever he tried to ignore her furious stare. But he did not know what Vader had planned. His own mission had been clear. And now the order of getting out of Chandrilea as soon as possible made sense too. He shook his head slightly. Anakin? Maybe Pakrat Minor would have to wait. He had to get Amidala into safety first. 

Wrenga Jixton was leaning against the cold wall, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and grinned openly at the small man sitting in front of Vader's desk. Gerran threw him an irritated glance and straightened his glasses yet again. Unfortunately that gesture got him the Dark Lord's attention. He looked up from his screen and frowned at the aide deeply. 

"Stop doing that," he snarled and straightened to glare at Jix. The agent stared back, surprised.

"Are you talking to me?" he exclaimed, aghast.

"Who else? Gerran is nervous enough without you staring at him. And stop pouting."

"What!?"

Vader leaned back in his chair, remaining silent for a while.

"Jix. You come into my office, don't say a word and expect me to know why you are here. What do you want?"

Jix' smile froze. Pushing himself off the wall he threw a hard glance at Gerran. 

"I wanted to see Mara and was denied access to the medical ward. Why? Don't you trust me anymore?"

"I trust you, Jix, but not her."

"What do you mean?"

"She was the Emperor's Hand."

"And that's it?"

"That is quite enough, don't you think?"

"No, I damn well don't think so! She got us the files -"

"And how do you know that it was not her who deleted them?"

"You tell me! After all you are the one who knows everything here!"

"Jix -"

"No! You listen to me first!"

Jix hadn't even seen Vader move, but it was hard to ignore the Dark Lord standing right in front of him and much too close for comfort. Two pairs of blue eyes locked in a contest of wills. But Jix knew that he had already lost. 

"Wrenga Jixton, you will trust my judgement," Vader whispered. 

"I'll trust your judgement," the agent mumbled.

"You will return to your quarters now."

"I'll go back to my quarters, right?"

"Very good."

Jix blinked his eyes once, took a look around and left the room, ignoring its remaining occupants completely.

Anakin Skywalker returned to his seat and sat down, smiling coldly at the twitching aide sitting opposite from him. Gerran swallowed hard before he asked, his voice hoarse:

"What - what did you do to him?"

"A simple trick. But it requires a lot of concentration."

"Did you - take over his mind?"

"Something like that."

Jay Gerran gazed at him in awe, mouth agape.

"That is - amazing!" he stuttered, shaking his head. 

Anakin merely smiled at him. No doubt this little display would gain the aide an open ear with his superior. Who would be very pleased. Guaranteed.

There was no way anything could disturb this perfect evening, Leia thought. Cuddled against Han's chest she was dozing quietly, feeling nothing but happiness. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her gently and Leia could feel his warm breath caressing her cheeks. She sighed, pleased. 

"Leia..."

"Hmm?"

"I have to tell you something."

"No, you don't," she replied, slightly annoyed. Had the man no sense at all? They had so little time together anyway. Why was he so eager to spoil it now?

"It is important."

"Everything is more important than me, it would seem," Leia bit out viciously.

"Unfair," Han replied and stroked her head slowly: "And your father said that you would understand."

"He said that? Really?" Looking up into his eyes Leia raised her eyebrows slowly.

"Yeah."

"And what is it?"

"He wants me to get Karrde to support us."

"In what way?"

"Covert operations. Your father wants unmarked ships, but with a certain history."

"What? Why?"

"Dunno. The 'why' is his job, not mine."

Dislodging herself from his embrace Leia stood up and straightened her dress. Han threw her a frown:

"What is it now?"

She turned towards him, crossing her arms in front of her chest: 

"The 'why' is my job too. And I intent to tell him that."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now. Or do you object?"

"Me? No! Not at all. Go ahead."

"Thank you," Leia said with an all too sweet smile and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. It felt so good to see the disappointment in his eyes. Let that be a lesson to you, she thought in satisfaction. 

"Leia..."

Turning back again she regarded that embodiment of hurt pride sitting on the couch in open amusement. 

"Hmm?"

"Jix left today on a mission to Tatooine."

"Great."

"Is that all you are going to say on that matter?"

"What else is there to say? It just means that I am going to be alone again. Not that I mind," Leia snarled and tried to slam the door shut. Which didn't want to do her the favour and closed noiselessly.

Storming down the hallway the Princess was fuming inside. Noone bothered to tell her anything! But that would change. And even if it was the last thing she did.

Tailor-seated on the cool floor of his cabin, Anakin Skywalker had his eyes closed. There was so much to think of, to take into account. So many possibilities. Again he walked along the plotlines he had drawn up for his major players. Examined each possible outcome and its respective consequences. Timing was crucial and although he knew that in theory he had time in abundance, there were a few factors to keep in mind: People were weary of the war and his resources were limited. Too limited to continue this conflict much longer. 

Thrawn had nearly caught up to him and it was only a matter of a few weeks or even just days until he would learn the truth. And gain the advantage. In fact he would be surprised if the Grand Admiral had not already begun to take the necessary steps to defeating his opponent.

"Anakin?"

He did not need to open his eyes to know who it was. But out of courtesy he did look up to glance at the shimmering ghost of Obi-Wan:

"What is it?"

"You must be careful."

"In what way?"

"Luke is leaving Dagobah."

"Already?" Truly surprised, Anakin rose and shook his head slightly: "That is too soon. I do not need his interference."

"He will not interfere."

"Are you so sure of that? He has a knack for being at the right place in the wrong moment."

"But that is what being a Jedi Knight is about, is it not?" 

Anakin laughed: "You are right. But this operation does not require the mind of a Jedi."

"That is one thing, Anakin, that you should keep in mind: You are no longer Darth Vader. Your duties are to the Light. To the people and to your family."

"Too many obligations, Obi-Wan," Anakin sighed.

"Have been your downfall before. Take care."

"I will."

Just then the door slid open and the Jedi Master' ghost vanished as if he had never been there at all. Looking at his daughter Anakin smiled. But Leia did not care to return that smile. Crossing her arms in front of her chest she regarded him coolly. After she had stared at him like that for a while he shrugged and motioned for her to take a seat.

"I give up. What is bothering you?"

"The fact that you do not tell me anything."

"What about?"

"About Han's mission. And for that matter, about Jix' too."

"So your pretty Corellian talked to you about that?"

"Yes," she answered, blushing.

"What did he tell you?"

"That he is to get us some ships from Karrde, and that Jix is on some mission to Tatooine."

"And what do you make of it?"

"What?"

"You have not considered the implications?"

"Well, I thought that you might just tell me."

"I won't. So, tell me, what is on Tatooine that could benefit us or the Empire?"

Leia pursed her lips thoughtfully and remained quiet for some time. All the while Anakin smiled at her encouragingly. Finally she seemed to have come to a conclusion.

"Well, the only thing that relates to Karrde is Jabba. Han told me that he promised Karrde to get the Hutt out of his way. Now, you sent Jix there to take care of that, right?" 

He nodded. 

"Let's see. Ships with a past, that means you want the Empire to know that you are dealing with the fringe. But Jabba's death would also serve as a warning," Leia continued and suddenly her eyes widened, "A warning which would only be effective if it were Imperial storm troopers blasting Jabba's fortress. Denying Thrawn any possibility of establishing his own deals with pirate groups." She clapped her hands in delight: "Oh, that is just wonderful!"

"And you are getting very good, Leia. Now you only need to apply your knowledge. I have a test for you. But later."

"What kind of test?"

He shook his head, smiling: "If you cannot find that out on your own you will simply have to wait."

When she smiled back at him he felt his breath catch in his throat. Too much of Leia reminded him of his greatest failure: Padmé. His daughter's lessons were a punishment of sorts and at the same time an attempt at reliving what had gone before. For if he ever got the chance to meet his love again, he would be better prepared. He would not fail her again. But he had to find her first. 

The five warships assembled in a defensive line like overeager watchdogs had not moved on the Relentless yet and the Grand Admiral had ordered absolute communication silence. Piett stood quietly to attention, studying Thrawn's profile with interest. The glowing red eyes were fixed on something beyond vision and the Captain would give much to learn just what the Admiral was thinking. When the comm fastened at his collar beeped discreetly, Piett nearly jumped, then answered the call in hushed tones: 

"What is it?"

"Sir, our reinforcements have just arrived."

"Good, thank you." Turning back towards Thrawn Piett found the alien already on his way to the comm station. "Sir, the Storm Falcon and the Death's Head have arrived."

"Yes, Captain, I heard that. The Chimaera's status?"

"Still under repairs."

"What about the special team?"

"On board the Death's Head."

"Good. What is he trying to accomplish here?"

"I have no idea."

"Very well. We will attack. Let's see for how long they think they can stand against us."

Suddenly an alarm sounded throughout the room and Piett's eyes whipped towards the radar. 

A tiny blip had appeared on the screen and was rapidly closing in on the planet. 

"A fighter-sized ship. Rebels?" 

Thrawn nodded: "Probably. The type?

"An X-wing, I believe."

"Begin the attack. And do not let that ship leave the planet again. It seems we might have a Jedi down there. Tell our ground forces that they are to keep an eye out for the rebel Luke Skywalker."

"Yes, sir."

Turning away from the screen Grand Admiral Thrawn closed his eyes briefly. So, they had caught the Rebels in the act, just as he had anticipated. They would defeat the rebel cruisers easily, and no doubt there already were some rebel teams onplanet to stir up the population. But the rebellion would end quickly, at least on this world. Skywalker's presence did not change anything. If it was him. But who else would enter a hostile system on his own? Undoubtedly to support the rebel ships. His capture would bring the Admiral closer to his opponent's identity. If he truly was the young Jedi they could rid the Rebellion off their military leader in one stroke. And if not... Well, there were a lot of possibilities to bring out the truth. 

Luke was torn between duties. As his X-wing passed the opposing ships he had to remind himself that he was a Jedi now, and that he had to accomplish his mission before joining the fight alongside his comrades. If he could at all. The Chandrilean space-ports were crowded with people scrambling to get away from the seemingly doomed planet and so Luke landed his fighter a bit outside the capital. It was quite a long walk back and he had decided to leave Artoo with the ship. The little astromech had protested loudly at first, but in the end he had had no choice but to stay behind.

The streets were crowded with people and Luke was secretly wondering how he was supposed to find anyone in this. On impulse he turned a few corners, until he stood in a relatively empty street behind the major plaza. His eyes fixed on a squat man closing his shop in a hurry. When the stranger turned around, wiping strands of white hair from his forehead, he stared at Luke, his face betraying shocked surprise. But after a moment's hesitation the man shook his head in relief and packed up his gear. Luke approached him cautiously. "Greetings," he began pleasantly and the stranger smiled faintly. 

"Do I know you?"

"Not yet, I believe. I am looking for someone and I think you could help me."

"Who would that be?"

"A woman. Small, slender, dark hair, pale skin." The man's eyes flickered and Luke knew that he had hit right on target. 

"Who are you?" Luke hesitated. But the man's reaction had already betrayed him. He could not know Luke Skywalker, but there was someone else he may recognize in the young Jedi's features.

"I am Luke Skywalker. My father was Anakin Skywalker. You know him, don't you?"

The stranger swallowed hard. 

"I must admit that at first glance I thought you were him, yes. But you look - different." Holding out a hand he smiled broadly at the young man, "I am Kit, a friend of the family. Now tell me why you are looking for your mother."

Taking the offered hand gingerly Luke had a hard time hiding his surprise. He had suspected the truth, yes, but to hear it outright from this stranger in the middle of a street was not how he had wished to learn it. 

"That is a long story," he answered finally and let Kit lead him away.

Wrapping the dark brown scarf closer around his head, Jix cursed the desert heat with all his heart. 

He and the rest of his team had found shelter in a small hotel not far from the Mos Eisley space port. But the cramped quarters were slowly getting on their nerves. And we've only been here for a day, Jix mused silently. The travel cases they had carried up here stood in their corner, a sullen lot. And their contents... Jix grinned. Storm trooper armour, of all things. He had never thought he would ever wear that again. But then, he had never been an eager trooper and had enjoyed the relative independence he had had later as a combat trainer at the Imperial Academy. 

But so far the service to the Dark Lord had proven the most enjoyable of his employments. Mara might resent Vader's methods and secrecy, but Jix found the surprises refreshing and above all challenging. The Dark Lord knew very well how to keep his agents happy. Well, at least he kept Jix happy. Mara had met with him prior to his leaving and he had been shocked at how weak she still was then. She had told him very openly that she would rather leave the rebels and make her own way than stay at Vader's side any longer. 

From a certain point of view she was right to claim that the Dark Lord treated her as if she were a nothing. But he treated everyone the same. Not everyone, no, but most people. Jix could not fathom what Vader had planned for Mara, but he would not simply let her go. And he must know that she thought about leaving. Well, he would have enough time to ponder this question later, but for now he had a mission to accomplish.

Han Solo smiled at the pirate chief sitting opposite him. But Karrde was not in the mood for pleasantries. And the presence of three grim-faced associates in the room spoke volumes. Chewie eyed the threesome fiercely, but so far his intimidating stare had not shown the desired effect. Han sighed: 

"Look, Karrde, it is not my fault that you were attacked."

"Maybe not yours, but I have the impression that your employer does not want to leave any traces behind."

"Would you?"

"No. Of course not."

"And besides, my employer did not send anyone after you."

"You just practically admitted that it was him, Solo!"

"I was just pointing out that noone in our business wants to leave any pointers behind, right?"

"But who else could be behind this?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, it was a Jedi or something like that. And I do not need any of those rooting around in my brain. Tell your employer that he can go looking for another supplier. I for one will be careful not to make any more deals with you."

"What about Jabba?"

"I delivered, didn't I?"

"Sure, but - "

"Then we are even, Solo."

"He won't be pleased."

"Not my problem."

"But it might become yours."

"Come on, Solo, you tried that intimidation line before."

"And it didn't work, I know. Then how about I arrange a meeting between the two of you. Maybe he can convince you."

"I don't have the time for that."

"At least let me call him."

Karrde eyed him suspiciously and Han tried his best smile. He needed to get this particular piece of information back to Vader as soon as possible. This incident had ruined the whole deal. But there was still a chance. When news about the Imperial raid on Jabba's fortress reached Karrde's ear he would be more prone to joining the Alliance's efforts. If he didn't decide to back out of the conflict completely. 

Suddenly Han stiffened. Leia had told him about her father's ominous agent, about how she was wondering why he had never introduced her to the rest of the team. This whole affair practically reeked of Vader's scheming. You never saw the attack coming. And Vader knew his agents well. Time to play my cards, Han decided finally and sighed, praying that he had read them correctly.

"Come on, it is just a call."

"I suspect your people already know where we are, so it doesn't make any difference. Very well, get him on the line."

Anakin Skywalker sat at his desk, viewing the latest status reports from the fleet. The fifteen star destroyers had reached their respective targets, were ready for action and the Chandrilea operation was moving into the hot phase. He would not interfere with the battle there for now, but it had to seem as if they wanted to prevent Thrawn from gaining access to the planet under any circumstances. His comm beeped and he frowned at the displayed code. What did Solo want now?

"What is it?" he grated into the speaker, hearing from the background noises immediately that Solo wasn't alone.

"Karrde wants to speak to you."

"What about?" So, the pirate chief had recovered from the recent attack and undoubtedly needed some reassurance. Anakin smiled when Han passed on the commlink.

"This is Karrde."

"A pleasure."

"Is it? Well, to make this brief, I fear that we cannot supply you with what you need."

"Ah, how unfortunate. Why not?"

"I do not appreciate having your associates on my doorstep and destroying my property."

"What associates would that be?"

"I was attacked not a week ago and my files were destroyed."

"I am sorry to hear that, but what has that got to do with me?"

"Well, I just thought it highly convenient for you that I could not remember anything for days. And I do believe that you would not want the Empire to know about that little toy I gave you."

"They will find out soon enough, namely when we start our operations, so why should I even care?"

"Timing. In your business, as in mine, timing is crucial."

"That it is. Again, I am sorry to hear about your accident. What are you going to do?"

"This war is over for us. Do not expect us to help again."

Anakin bit his lower lip in amusement, but when he spoke again his voice was full of regret:

"They will find you, Karrde. You cannot escape."

"What? Who will find us?"

"Did you really think the Imperial Navy is all we have to deal with?"

"What do you mean?"

"There are much more sinister forces at work here than you can imagine." He could practically see the doubt and hesitation on Karrde's face. "Actually I would appreciate it if you could get me Solo back on the line."

"Why?"

"He is to leave immediately. They have found you before and will draw their conclusions. No need to make it too easy for them."

"Who are you talking about!?" Karrde nearly screamed.

"The Sith."

"What?"

"You heard me. Now get me Solo."

"Wait, wait. You are telling me that _the Sith_ are dabbling in this too?"

"Exactly."

"How do you know that? And you yourself believe that you can protect your troops?"

"A simple matter of staying ahead of the game."

"Is it? Not against the Sith. But I know of a place that is as safe as it can get."

"You are a fool if you believe that, Karrde. I know that place. It offers no protection at all."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"Because, my friend, I too was once a Sith."

Anakin heard Karrde take a deep, deep breath. Then the connection broke.

Han was a bit concerned when Karrde shut down his comm and turned to face him. The pirate chief wore a cold mask to hide his shock. And shocked he was, that could be easily deduced from his reactions. The Sith. No wonder Vader was so nervous. 

"What safe haven is that?" Han asked finally.

"A planet called Myrk."

"And?"

"The Force doesn't exist there."

"But it doesn't work for the Sith?"

"Apparently not. Why didn't you tell me who your employer is?"

"You never asked."

"The cruisers are regrouping," Captain Piett announced solemnly. Thrawn didn't react at first.

"Any news on Skywalker?"

"No, sir."

"Very well, then we will use a bit more force. Get Tieman up here."

"Yes, sir. Wait. They are retreating."

"Already?" Looking up at the display Thrawn frowned. And indeed, the five rebel cruisers were slowly moving towards the night side of the planet. The Admiral's mouth tightened: "Are they recalling their troops?"

"Yes."

"Send the Storm Falcon and the Death's Head on their trail. They are to intercept them. If they encounter Skywalker the special team is to move in. And now we shall see if the people of Chandrilea really want to fight."

Mon Mothma stormed into the Dominator's debriefing room, clearly upset. Anakin did not even look up. "Come in or stay out, but close that door," he told her coolly. 

Hesitating she turned around, realizing that she was standing in the doorway and that the bridge crew was staring at her in bewilderment. Finally the rebel leader stepped into the room, walking closer to the tall warlord, who was bent over what seemed to be a map of sorts. The door slid close behind her.

"Tell me it isn't true," she demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"Are we attacking civilian targets?"

"As far as I am concerned the Imperial Navy is attacking those planets."

"Lord Vader, don't try to dismiss this. The fact remains that those Imperial ships are ours."

"The targets were cleared by Page and his teams beforehand. No civilians remain where our troops strike."

"I cannot allow this. It is too dangerous. And immoral."

Anakin Skywalker turned to face her, a mocking smile on his lips: 

"Mon Mothma, if you think that the Alliance can fight its battles and still keep the moral high ground you are mistaken. In a war people die. Innocent people. Soldiers. Whoever gets in the way of the opposing parties."

"But we can cut our losses."

"Our losses, yes. But we can only try to keep the civilian casualties low by defeating the Empire as quickly as possible. People are weary of this war, I know that. And it is a factor in out favour. The government will call Thrawn back when news about these assaults gets out and we will make sure it does. Once the public realizes what is supposedly happening Thrawn will be under so much pressure that he will move more cautiously."

"But then defeating him will become much harder."

"No. On the contrary. He will want revenge, since we have demoted him in the eyes of the others. I will give him the opportunity for vengeance and while he is occupied you can strike in earnest."

She gave him a suspicious glance:

"Why do I have the feeling that there is more to that plan than it seems? You are a devious man, Lord Vader."

"I am a strategist, nothing more. And I would appreciate it greatly if you stopped trying to interfere with my planning."

"I will do my best."

"Good. Then maybe you could leave me to work?"

She stared at him coldly and Anakin was sure that, given the opportunity, she would kill him personally. Mon Mothma was an idealist and a politician. An unfortunate combination for wartimes. As compelling a personality she was, she would never make a good tactician. 

"Lord Vader, I expect another report from you this evening."

"Of course. Was there anything else?"

"No."

Mon Mothma turned on her heels and left again, leaving a thoughtful Dark Lord behind. The cruisers were withdrawing from Chandrilea and soon now Thrawn would get some bad news. He would have to leave the planet. Jix and his team should be finished by now and would return in a few days. A few days, if Needa stuck to his route. They would not be granted more time, he knew. And once the Grand Admiral had made his move it would be time for the plan's last phase. 

Suddenly his comm chimed. Staring at the code in surprise Anakin almost forgot to answer it. When he did his face was a stony mask and his voice conceived his barely controlled fury.

"You better had a good excuse for blundering the way you did," he hissed viciously and there was a slight pause at the other end.

"There is no excuse. I failed," a female voice answered chagrined. He took an angry breath.

"Your honesty is laudable. What about that task I gave you?" Another pause. This did not bode well at all. 

"The ship was not there."

"What?"

"The ship was not at the drive yards."

This time it was his turn to forgo an immediate answer.

"My lord?"

"You are lucky you did not contact me any other way," he whispered. "Where are you now?"

"Where you sent me."

"Stay there. We will speak once I return. At length."

Breaking the connection Anakin fought the terrible urge to smash something here and now. Or someone, for that matter. So, she had not found the Executor. Thrawn must have anticipated that move and only the stars knew what he was planning to do with the Super-class Star Destroyer.

The Empire could not muster nearly enough troops to man the ship without putting skeleton crews on some of the existing warships. And the Grand Admiral would hardly take that risk. He knew too much already. This only meant that the rebel fleet was safe from an over-powering attack for now. But for how long he could not tell. No. They had to take possession of that ship. First to find it though. Once Jix returned from Tatooine he could take on that job. And once they had the location, retrieving the Executor would pose no problem at all. Until then Anakin could find something to occupy the Grand Admiral. Something pleasant, for a change.

"Jade." Mara closed her eyes for a second. She had felt him approach even before he had slipped unheard into her room. Now she straightened from her bed on which she had spread the clothes she thought to take with her on the next mission. Facing him, she tried to look as cool as he did all the time. He smiled at her. 

"Will you tell me now where you are sending me?"

"Yes. You will join Grand Admiral Thrawn."

"What?"

"You will provide me with information."

"But - But Thrawn won't swallow this."

"You were tracking Jix on Coruscant and tried to prevent him from destroying the entire mainframe by deleting the most important files. He escaped and you were injured. Who knows? Maybe Thrawn will even apologize to you."

"I'll pass on that. And when he asks where I have been so far?"

"You were recovering. It is that simple."

"Simple." 

Mara grimaced. Why fight it? This was not so bad after all. If she survived she was away from Vader and.... Her thoughts trailed into nothingness. She would have to betray her friends. Thrawn would want proof of her loyalty.

"Do not worry. He will not harm you if you know how to play your cards. And I know that you have the skills."

"No, he will probably dance with joy at having me back," she remarked sarcastically. He smiled at her.

"I would. But that is not the issue here. You will hand this datapack over to him. It contains some useful information."

"I - " Mara began weakly, astonished at his praise, "Thank you. I will not disappoint you."

"I know you won't, Mara Jade. May the Force be with you."

Before he left she simply had to ask: "What kind of information?"

"Something he will need soon."

"But, why?"

"Because I think that it might be useful for him."

"I see."

"That I doubt. But in time maybe you will."

Grand Admiral Thrawn eyed the former governor coldly. And Captain Piett watched Tieman stand very straight, facing death proudly. His eyes flickered towards the planet once or twice, where more and more ships left the system in a hurry.

"Governor," Thrawn said softly, a tiny smile on his lips: "I am sure you know why you have been brought here."

"Yes. I daresay that I have a pretty good idea of what will happen."

"Indeed you do. Then why don't we get this over with?"

Just then the comm at the Grand Admiral's chair chimed discreetly. 

"What is it?"

"It is a message from Coruscant."

"I will take it in my office," the Grand Admiral answered, a slight frown on his face, and left the room. It was a few minutes before he returned, and immediately Piett knew that it was bad news. 

"Sir?" he inquired quietly.

"Head this ship towards Coruscant. We are leaving. But before we do we have some unfinished business to take care of. "

Luke drew Kit after him, trying to evade the desperate crowd as the two of them made their way towards the Alliance shuttle which was just preparing for take-off in the middle of the plaza.

"Wait!" Luke shouted over the din and waved frantically. Increasing his speed he dashed forward and grabbed the sleeve of one of the rebel operatives. 

"You have to take at least some of these people!" he hissed in low tones. 

"Who the - Luke!" The man's eyes widened, but he caught himself immediately. "Look, we cannot afford the delay. Our cruisers are taking an awful pounding and our orders were specific. We have to draw out." 

Luke gave him a cold look: "Where is your commander?" 

"That's me, pal," another man answered and stepped out of the ship, taking in the Jedi's slight form suspiciously. Turning towards the newcomer Skywalker arched his eyebrows in contempt. 

"The Imperials will return. And they will seek revenge. Do you really want to have a massacre on your cap?" 

"Look here, we simply cannot..." 

"I am not asking to take them all. Just a few." 

Seeing that this argument would delay them more than taking some refugees on board the commander subsided at last: "Your responsibility, Skywalker." 

"Always," Luke answered with a smile.

When at last they were ready to take off he shuddered with the thought of all these people left behind. The Empire would make them pay dearly. But once Leia heard about this she would send a rescue team in time. He would send the message when got back to the cruisers. Even if it came too late to save Tieman. For the last time the young Jedi glanced at the severed head stuck on a pole outside the governor's palace. An almost peaceful expression had been frozen on the late governor's face, but Luke did not know if that serene smile was one of encouragement or an omen for disaster. Well. He would find out soon enough.

"Hey!" he called towards the cockpit, "we need to pick up my X-wing!"

Tatooine was as hot as she remembered, but Amidala was determined not to let the memories get to her. Following Needa through the dusty streets of Mos Eisley, she nevertheless found herself remembering. But it had been so long ago... 

"He's an old friend," the Captain was just saying and gently led her into a shadowy lane. 

"Trustworthy?" she asked tiredly. 

"If not, we can deal with him," he answered with a smile. Nodding grimly, Amidala let a hand slip to the blaster concealed underneath the long red shawl she wore against the sand. She had got very good at handling weapons over the years. 

"Amidala."

"What?"

"We are here." 

It was one of those nondescript clay buildings, rounded domes really, and she remembered standing in one of those for many times. Her eyes misted over. 

"Are you alright?" 

"Yes," she whispered and wiped the tears from her face, "let's go in." Ignoring Needa's worried glance she went through the open doorway. Dim light greeted her and at once she felt on edge because there was no way she could see anything in this gloom before her eyes had accustomed to it. 

"Careful," Needa warned and slipped past her, holding a blaster in his hand. Frowning slightly he took a look around the room. 

"Anyone here?" he asked finally and Amidala tensed slowly, ready to bolt at any moment. This did not feel right at all. 

"Didn't you say that he was a friend?" she hissed, but the Captain shushed her with a wave of his hand, stalking noiselessly towards a thick curtain. 

"Why don't you wait outside?" he asked lightly and she got his drift immediately. 

Grabbing her own weapon she ran for the door. The sun blinded her temporarily, but there was no mistaking the white storm trooper armour gleaming in the in the garish light. Cursing very unqueenly Amidala got a few shots off and dashed for a far corner. "After her!" someone screamed and then the chase was on in earnest.

Theoretically Captain Needa knew very well that there was no point in resisting, but he could not risk any of the information he had to fall into enemy hands. Fortunately he was a better shot than the troopers. They had sought shelter for now, but would attack soon enough. Examining the walls critically Needa pointed his weapon and cut a hole into the small building. 

Before charging through he silently prayed that there were no more surprises waiting for him out there. Except for a barrage of laser fire. Cursing he sprinted for the next street and ran on, without looking back. The shouts and angry screams following him reminded the Captain that Amidala was missing. He had to find her. 

Amidala took a deep breath and crouched lower into her hiding place. She had shed the red shawl and now wore only her battle uniform. Tieman must have talked. And Needa had been betrayed too. What was going wrong here? If there was a traitor with the Alliance she should under no circumstances go there. But her children... The queen sighed deeply and stood. Well. First she had to get away from this planet. Decisions could be made afterwards.

"Don't move," a metallic voice barked at her. How could she have been so careless? 

Turning around slowly she faced the two troopers grimly. Her eyes flickered for a second, before she drew herself up haughtily. "You are making a mistake," she told the two sternly. 

One of them actually snickered at her: "Really. Call in some reinforcements." He did not get any further before a shot out from Needa's blaster cut him down. The other trooper dropped to the ground only seconds later and then the Captain slipped from the roof he had been hiding on and joined Amidala's side. 

"Let's go," he said and smiled at her. "There they are!" Grimacing slightly, Needa grabbed Amidala's arm and then the two of them were on the run again. 

Much later, with the twin suns already setting, she was leaning against him for support as she tried to catch her breath. "Do you think that we can make it?" the queen coughed, cursing the dust and sand. 

He looked at her, his gray eyes dark: "No, we cannot." Staring at his earnest face she kept silent for awhile. 

"Then what do we do? Surrender?" 

Needa shook his head: "I have a plan."

Gaining access to the control tower of Mos Eisley space-port had been easy, if only because the drab complex of clay buildings hardly deserved its name. Needa walked down the brightly lit hallway unconcernedly although he knew that observation cameras must already have caught his image and given alarm. Well, he was in no hurry. Stepping smartly into the control room he shot everyone except for the commander, at whom he only shot a very brittle smile. 

"I think you can help me."

"What do you want?"

"Close down the docking bays and the port. Every one except for number 67."

"Your friend will never make it."

"Really? We shall see."

Pressing the muzzle of his blaster to the man's neck Needa stood waiting behind the chair and regarded the sudden activity outside calmly. Storm troopers were assembling in front of the building, exchanging orders and questions in loud tones. The Captain smiled. 

Amidala stood atop the sand dunes outside the city, exhausted after a long walk in darkness. Turning a face streaked with tears of hot anger back towards the city she watched the tiny ship lift off, a small comet against the black background of the Tatooine night. Watched it rise further and further. Heard the whine of fighter engines. Needa had assured her that the ship was quite capable of performing a few convincing manoeuvres even flying on remote. And it was spectacular. Weaving its way towards open space the tiny craft spun unconcernedly through the laser volleys, taking hit after hit, but still fighting for height. When it finally exploded in a glorious fire Amidala could not stop herself from shivering. If she had really been on board...

Sighing, she wrapped herself into the dusty blanket the Captain had found for her and made her way deeper into the cliffs, towards Beggar's Canyon. And remembered how _he_ had gently led her towards his secret retreat, a tiny cave that had turned out not to be so small after all. Amidala had been awed by the maze the wind had moulded into the soft stone over the millennia. "It is so beautiful, " she had told him in hushed tones and he had just smiled at her and said: "Well, so are you."

Anakin. How hard she had tried to forget him. But when Needa had asked if she knew a hiding place she had remembered this cave instantly. And wondered how he had known that she had been on this planet before. 

"Very simple, Your Majesty. Because I know your husband and he is still alive."

Oh yes, he was a clever one, was Captain Needa. Growling in disgust Amidala stumbled into the cave and found herself a small depression out of the wind. She wrapped herself in the blanket and put the two devices she had held in her hands all the time onto a flat stone in front of her. The remote was useless now. Reaching forward she smashed it. And the commlink... technically it was her key to safety. She could simply call the Alliance, demand to speak to Leia or Luke, or even to... No, not him. 

Alive, was he? To scare her like that! No, what was she thinking! He had betrayed her, he was a monster. She could not love him anymore. Not with all the hate and anger that stood between them. Closing her eyes Amidala tried to calm herself. It was not easy, but at the very last she found her way back to the comforting darkness. No unwelcome thought was disturbing her there, just the anger making her emotional shields stronger. I cannot afford any weakness, she told herself. And he is my only one. Smiling a bit she finally fell asleep.

"They are lifting the blockade!" Turning towards the skinny Rodian who had just sounded the good news, Wrenga Jixton wore an open grin on his face. 

"About time. Any reason why?" 

The alien hesitated before answering: "Just rumours." 

Jix gave him an encouraging nod: "What rumours?" 

Again a slight pause: "Nothing good, if it's true: the Imps have captured someone it seems, a traitor." 

Rising very suddenly the Corellian's expression made it very clear that one more hesitation would surely end his patience: "Spit it out, will ya! Who was supposedly captured!" 

The Rodian cowered back: "Needa. They say it's Captain Needa."

The silence filling the cramped room was very heavy indeed and Wrenga Jixton was not the only one wearing a concerned look on his face. As one the team turned their eyes towards the Corellian. 

"Captured. Here," he mused aloud. Briefly an image of the former Imperial's clear grey eyes and cool smile flashed across his inner vision. Did Vader know about it? Had he even _planned_ it perhaps? 

"Where is he now?" 

The Rodian shrugged: 

"Since they are lifting the blockade my best guess is that they have already taken him aboard one of the Star Destroyers." 

Jix' ears perked up: "When did they arrive?" 

Again a shrug: "Maybe two hours ago." 

Nodding, the Corellian turned to face his team: "Let's pack it up and get out of here. We cannot help him now and we have to get this back to High Command." 

They nodded glumly and went to prepare everything for their departure. Still puzzled a bit about this bad news Jix left their quarters and started walking leisurely towards the spaceport. It was true. Where just this morning storm troopers had patrolled the streets in groups of five and more, there was not one in sight now. No doubt they had withdrawn. Curious, that. But for now his only concern was to get his team and himself back to Hoth. Before anything else happened.

Amidala woke to the sound of quiet footsteps. Raising her head muzzily she could just make out a dark figure standing in the entrance to the small part of the cave she had sought shelter in. 

"Captain?" she asked, slightly alarmed. But that was impossible, wasn't it? Needa was either dead or a prisoner. For his sake she hoped the latter. For her own the first. He knew far too much about a great many things. 

The figure advanced on her with a cat-like grace and Amidala stood up quickly, fumbling for her blaster. Pushing back the hood of her long black cloak the stranger regarded the queen calmly, her cinnamon skin contrasting sharply with the bright sandstone. Her yellow predatory eyes were burning like the twin suns of Tatooine and sparked a primal fear in Amidala's mind. But the queen rallied magnificently.

"Who are you?" Amidala demanded, aiming her weapon at the other woman. Something screamed at her that she should know who this stranger was, that she had met her kind before. 

Those yellow eyes were watching her with polite interest, but the woman's full lips twitched in open amusement at the queen's defiance. Taking another step the stranger reached out a hand and suddenly Amidala lost her grip on the blaster as it flew in a graceful arc straight into the other's hand. 

"You are not safe here any longer," the stranger told Amidala calmly and the queen instantly understood the hidden threat in this statement. 

"So it would seem," she answered regally and simultaneously the two women's eyes sought the inactivate commlink lying innocently on the ground between them. Realization dawned: 

"You were tracking Captain Needa, am I right?"

"True. But I fear that I have just lost him."

"Indeed." 

They stood for a while in silence. And Amidala took the time to study the black-clad stranger in detail. She was taller than the average human female and since the black cloak covered most of her, Amidala concentrated on the exquisitely moulded face. It matched the eyes perfectly, looking like an incredibly beautiful predator, with high cheekbones, a straight, long nose and a narrow chin. The upper lip of her mouth was tattooed black, and black shadowed her eyes, emphasizing the yellow, red-rimmed irises even more. 

Those eyes. Amidala remembered them now. She had met one of her kind before, on Naboo what seemed like a lifetime ago. And the fact that this woman had mastered the Force had only strengthened her suspicion: she was a Sith.

Almost immediately another image came to her mind: a tall, black-armoured warrior, his face hidden forever behind a mask stylizing a skull. Amidala shook her head slightly to shed the memory and became aware of the other woman standing right in front of her.

"We have to leave," the stranger told her, not unkindly.

"Where are we going?"

"You will see."

Concentrating deeply Luke Skywalker ignored the sounds of enemy missiles impacting on the cruiser's hull and instead tried to keep his balance on the shaking deck. 

"They must have followed us," Kit whispered at his side. The young Jedi did not answer, but instead reached out to hook his arms underneath the older man's armpits, hoisting him up. Kit groaned with pain and immediately Luke sent soothing tendrils into his mind. The attack had started just an hour ago and Kit had been injured in an ondeck explosion that had ripped one of the gun emplacements apart and sent metal splinters flying everywhere. 

Now it was only a matter of time until the ship got boarded and Luke was just waiting for that moment. The forward decks had been hit the worst and fires had broken out, making it impossible to reach the hangars there. No chance to reach his X-wing. But he could not let Artoo fall into enemy hands either. Dragging his moaning burden further down the corridor Luke let his mind search the ship for any unusual activities. There they were: three assault shuttles. And he needed to reach one of them. 

As if sensing his younger companion's anxiety Kit laid a hand on Luke's forearm: "Luke, you have to get away." 

The other's blue eyes hit him with a searing fire: "I will not leave you here." 

Kit winced, then sighed painfully: "As headstrong as your father. And your mother, for that matter," he mumbled defiantly. Luke smiled ruefully down at him. Then he looked around, frowning, and heaved Kit's limp body towards a small alcove. Laying him down gently he reached for his commlink. 

"Have to tell Artoo to get the X-wing outta here," he explained and almost immediately began talking to the little astromech. Kit listened to the droid's fervent protests and smiled weakly. Suddenly though the pain became too intense. 

Gasping, he flailed a hand towards Luke, choking. The fear in the other's blue eyes told him all he needed to know. "Go!" Kit whimpered, trying to wipe the blood from his mouth. Luke fell to his knees at his side, laying a hand on his forehead. "You cannot heal me, boy. Get off this ship. Now." Luke stared at him. Finally he hung his head and sighed. 

"I am so sorry..." 

"Don't be. There is nothing you could have done. But I am grateful that you tried," he added, remembering the boy's hands gliding over his wounds in an effort to heal him. But, like his father, he was no healer.

Luke was unsure of what to do at first. But he knew very well that Kit would never make it. On the other hand he was loath to leave a friend behind. Leave anyone behind. In the end though he had to accept the truth. There truly was nothing he could do. 

"Luke...," Kit whispered almost too low to be heard even by keen Jedi senses.

Bending over the other's face Luke steeled himself inwardly. 

"Luke..., remember what you are here for. You mother-."

Kit's voice broke and Luke felt his body slacken. Taking a deep breath he closed the other's eyes and rose. Kit had been right. He had to find his mother. But first he had to get away.

Walking down the corridor towards the aft hangar bays Luke had to fight his way through the Alliance troops and refugees retreating before the Imperial boarding parties. One hand clamped around the handle of his lightsabre he did not rely so much on his eyes than on the Force to track his enemies. 

A group of ten troopers was just within reach and Luke crouched into a deserted cabin, waiting for his chance. When two soldiers came bursting through the door he sent them flying back into the corridor to crash into their comrades. Charging at them, his blue blade shimmering in anticipation, Luke swung the lightsabre wide on the first run. After he had determined that there were no other enemies close enough to surprise him, he turned back to the task at hand. The remaining troopers had no time to regroup and the few tentative shots aimed at the Jedi missed their fast-moving target by inches. 

Straightening again Luke moved on, evading the Imperials where he could. Defence, he had been taught, was as instrumental to victory as moving formlessly, unseen. But still, defence also meant protecting his comrades. Concentrating again he could pick up the presence of quite a lot of troopers in the hangar bay just up front. He made his decision quickly and slipped towards the entrance. After a hard look at the control pad he punched in the proper code and closed the heavy blast doors. Bringing his lightsabre to bear he speared through the lock mechanism, shutting it down completely and trapping the troopers inside.

He moved on to the next bay, where he could feel hardly anyone. And if he was lucky there were some ships just waiting for him. As expected the hangar was empty safe for one shuttle, perching invitingly upon the polished deck. Luke took a careful step forward and paused. The deep hum of his lightsabre sounded awfully loud in the silence filling the great bay. And there was a feeling of- He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but it was something between uneasiness and dizziness. 

When a blaster bolt came screaming out of the shuttle's shadow it took him completely by surprise.

"Skywalker!" someone screamed and Luke jumped back, confused. The sound of heavy boots hitting the deck behind him made him turn around. Three men were facing the young Jedi grimly and each had a blaster rifle aimed at his chest. Luke frowned. He couldn't feel them at all. But he could not afford wasting any time. Moving forward he nearly stumbled over his own legs. A wave of dizziness hit him with brute force and the last thing he saw was the blue light of a stun-bolt arching towards him.

Captain Piett was not an easily frightened man although he would never call himself brave either. Common sense and experience had taught him that caution mixed with a knack for making the right decisions at the right moment were the key to survival. At least in the Imperial Navy. And elsewhere too, he was certain of that. But now, standing just a few paces behind Grand Admiral Thrawn in the gloomy chamber that had once been Emperor Palpatine's throne room, he could not deny the fear lurking in the back of his mind. 

Three men were facing them, pale faces cold and eyes unblinking. Their purple robes caught the sparse light, swallowing it whole, it seemed. Piett pulled himself together and waited patiently for the things to come.

"Of late we have experienced some doubts in the decision the Navy High Command made in calling you back from the Unknown Regions." 

The Grand Admiral did neither move nor rise to the challenge. When one of the three leaned forward to get a closer look at the alien's face, Piett unconsciously took a step back.

"Your troops not only raided the Hutt's palace on Tatooine, but they also attacked civilian targets without the slightest provocation. And that unfortunate affair with Chandrilea... Grand Admiral, would you care to justify your actions please?"

"The truth, your Excellency, is known to both of us. The rebels have taken possession of an ID scrambler and have made good use of the defectant Imperial troops and ships. And Chandrilea was a necessary operation."

"The truth, Thrawn, is of no consequence. Fact is that the public thinks that these crimes were indeed committed by the Imperial Navy. Which was undoubtedly the Rebel leader's goal all along."

"Yes, I agree."

"Do you now," the first speaker commented with a cold smile on his face. "Have you made any progress in discovering the identity of their new strategist at least?"

"Not yet. But I do have some information. Apparently he truly is a Force-user."

"A Jedi?"

"No."

The threesome took a collective breath.

"He is a Sith," Thrawn concluded.

Finally the lead speaker found his voice again: "And you have taken steps to defeating that - Sith?"

Piett could almost see the smile on the Grand Admiral's face when he answered: 

"Indeed I have. With any luck we will be able to capture the traitor Lorth Needa on Pakrat Minor in a few days. Who will provide us with additional information."

"Ah, then it would seem that we are a step ahead of you."

This time the Grand Admiral hesitated for the merest fraction of a second: 

"In what way?

"News has reached us just before you arrived. Alas, there was no time to inform you beforehand."

"What news, your Excellency?"

"Lorth Needa has been captured on Tatooine only five hours ago."

"Tatooine," Thrawn repeated in low tones. "How fortunate. And interesting."

"Yes, isn't it? You have one more chance to prove to us that the decision to make you our fleet commander was justified."

Bowing sharply the Grand Admiral made his leave, striding past Piett, who followed immediately. In silence the two of them made their way back to the shuttle which would take them back to the Relentless. But once in the Star Destroyer's debriefing room the alien's red eyes were flashing with anger. 

Captain Piett watched him pace the room's expanse in long strides, arms crossed behind his back. He knew better than to interrupt the Grand Admiral when he was in one of those moods. Patiently standing to attention he let his thoughts drift on their own. So, Lorth had been captured. But Thrawn had expected him to show up on Pakrat Minor, where the Chimaera already lay in waiting to intercept his ship and take him and his companion on board. None of the three councillors had mentioned the woman, but that did not mean anything. Thrawn's low voice broke into his thoughts coldly:

"He went out of his way to reach Tatooine, Captain."

"Yes, sir."

"And the woman was not with him when he was captured."

"I beg your pardon, but -. "

"If she were, we would have been duly informed. You see, this woman is not unknown."

"Well, she _is_ a queen, after all."

"Was, Captain, but that is not the point. The point is, that she was Anakin Skywalker's wife."

"Ah?"

"Why did she resurface now, after Lord Vader's death?"

"Perhaps she is looking for her children."

"Indeed. And maybe it is something else entirely. Do we have a strike team in the vicinity of that planet?"

"Yes."

"Good. Send them on their way immediately. See to it that they are provided with a good description of that woman. And they are to take her alive."

"Yes, sir."

"Another thing: find out where Needa is being taken."

"At once."

A discreet beeping caught Captain Piett's attention.

"Incoming message from the Storm Falcon, sir," the comm officer on duty informed him.

"Let's hear it."

"Sir, apparently the Storm Falcon and the Death's Head have engaged the enemy and our troops have boarded one of the cruisers."

"The Chandrilean ships?"

"Yes, sir. Resistance is breaking rapidly."

"Very good. Keep me posted on the events there." 

"Sir! Another message coming through: The special team has captured the rebel Luke Skywalker."

"Thank you."

Turning back towards Thrawn, Piett saw a tiny smile play across the Grand Admiral' s lips:

"The tide is turning, Captain." 

TBC

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=92633
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=97082



	4. Revelations

****

The Art of War

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to - me.

Again thanks to Redone and Kee. Just in case you haven't read the first three parts yet, here are the links: [Part 1][1],[ Part 2][2],[ Part 3][3].

Part 4: Revelations

The low whine of the fighter's engines was somewhat dimmed by the humming jungle noises as the ship landed gracefully on the swampy ground. Master Yoda lowered one hand and eyed the X-wing critically. There was noone on board. After a minute or so a tentative beep from the fighter's astromech droid preceded a prolonged inquiry. Yoda frowned. The droid warbled something, then heaved the equivalent of a sigh. When he still got no response Artoo screamed shrilly, desperately hoping for some comforting answer. 

"Be silent," the ancient Jedi Master ordered sternly, then turned to face his companion. Obi-Wan Kenobi stood quietly, his lips pursed in deep thought. "The trials, begun they have," Yoda announced solemnly after a while and resumed staring at the starfighter. 

The younger man shook his head, then hesitated: "You don't mean Luke's trials, do you?" 

Facing the shimmering image again the tiny alien huffed indignantly: 

"A prisoner he is. Trial enough, I think, that is for one so young."

"But not what Anakin is keeping in store for him."

"No."

"Fortunate boy."

"See we shall, how fortunate."

"Yes."

"Tatooine! Of all places! And what was Needa doing there?"

Wrenga Jixton swallowed hard. Of late he found that he had preferred to face Vader's anger when he had still worn that mask of his. Now, having to bear the fury in those icy blue eyes was like watching Hoth explode. But he refused to avert his own gaze. 

"I have no idea," he answered truthfully.

"Really," the Dark Lord snorted and turned away to stalk the small expanse of his office aboard the Dominator. 

It was not that the room was really small, it was just the length of the strides Vader took which made it seem so. Leaning against the far wall both Gerran and the Princess watched the warlord's pacing warily.

When he spoke again his voice was a low hiss, not unlike the sound of a burning fuse:

"His mission to Chandrilea was successful. We have the planet's support now and no doubt Brental and Corulag will follow their neighbor's example. But we _need_ the resources from Pakrat Minor."

"I could go there," Leia offered. 

Her father whirled around to face her, blue eyes narrowed dangerously:

"No way, princess. You are needed here."

Jix noticed that Vader did not mention his relationship to Leia in front of Jay Gerran. Neither did his daughter, for that matter. Precaution? Possibly. 

"Then maybe you should go yourself, your lordship," Jix put in, smiling. 

"What a brilliant idea," Vader shot back, sarcasm dripping off every syllable. 

"No," he continued, "I have a much better suggestion. You," he declared, pointing at Gerran, "will go." 

The aide jerked back in horror: "Me, sir?"

"Exactly. Is there a problem?" Vader inquired coolly.

"No, my lord."

"Good. I will debrief you about that mission presently. Jix, Princess, you are dismissed."

"Thank the stars," Jix breathed and was firmly dragged out of the room by Leia, who in turn couldn't suppress a smile herself.

Once outside both almost broke into a run. "The poor man!" the Princess managed in between bursts of laughter when they had rounded the nearest corner.

Jix wore a wolfish grin on his face: "Yeah, poor Gerran. That guy is so pathetic! By the way, where is Solo?"

Leia stopped herself and threw him a quizzical look: "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"Well, if you must know: he is making some deal with Karrde."

"Karrde. The smuggler chief?"

"The very same."

Jix' eyes twinkled gleefully as he started rubbing his hands in anticipation: 

"Good. So, what are you doing tonight?"

Leia shook her head slowly: "Jix, you are -"

"Just kidding, Princess, just kidding."

Bringing her shuttle into position Mara Jade glanced at the twinkling city lights suspiciously. Apparently her codes were still valid and she had received clearance for Coruscant space almost immediately. Almost. Meaning that Thrawn was already waiting for her. Well, it was too late to turn back now anyway. Following her assigned landing beacon she let the ship sail towards the Star Destroyer looming in the distance. 

There was exactly one man waiting for her on the deck of the hangar bay. She recognized him instantly. Mara gave the tall officer a curt nod:

"Captain Piett."

"Welcome back," he returned pleasantly and led the way towards the bridge. 

Strange, Mara thought as she followed him along the bleak, clean corridors, something here feels not right. But she could not pinpoint the feeling. It was something between uneasiness and dizziness. 

And then they were there. The room was plunged in nearly total darkness. Only a few holograms were glowing softly, casting a bluish light. But Mara had not become the Emperor's Hand for nothing. She spotted the pair of glowing red eyes immediately. Straightening herself she waited for the Grand Admiral to acknowledge her presence. 

"Mara Jade," he said finally and stepped out of the shadows, looking her up and down. 

"It has been a long time."

"Yes, that it has."

"I am glad to see you so well."

"And I am unfortunate that I could not join you earlier."

Thrawn's eyes narrowed for a split-second: 

"Indeed," he mused. "A shame."

Abruptly he turned his back on her, seemingly to stare out of the viewport upon the glittering city of Coruscant. And as if on cue Captain Piett withdrew from the room, leaving Mara wondering. For a long time only silence filled the air. Then the Grand Admiral gestured for Mara to join his side. She walked forward, shoulders tense.

"Coruscant," Thrawn said, nodding towards the planet, "alas bereft of true leadership. Don't you think?"

"Indeed," Mara answered, her voice hard.

"I have heard of your valiant efforts in tracking down the traitor who caused all this. What was his name again?"

"Wrenga Jixton."

"Ah. Yes. Jixton. One of Lord Vader's agents."

"Yes."

"Did you catch him?"

Mara hesitated: "No."

"No? The Emperor's Hand. A failure? I do not believe so, Mara Jade."

She swallowed slowly. Here we go. 

"In fact, I believe that you were trying to capture him here, on Coruscant, not so long ago."

This time Mara did not even bother to hide her surprise: "You know?"

"I suspected. Tell me what happened."

"There is not much to say. He was trying to delete the mainframe. And I was trying to track his progress to see what files he was after."

"And then you started deleting data yourself."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Precaution. If he was after the Emperor's files I wanted to prevent him from copying them. There was no risk of losing the data because I had a copy myself."

That got his attention: "You did? How fortunate. A coincidence?"

"Not really. Jix deleted Vader's files too, at least I suspect that he did. And we did not have copies of those. After that disaster I did not want to take the risk of losing valuable data again."

"But we do have those copies," Thrawn laughed silently. Mara blinked once. 

"I - did not know that."

"You were not here when Intelligence retrieved those files from Vader's fortress on Vjun. You know the planet?"

"I have never been there."

"I see. Nevertheless you could not prevent the mainframe's destruction."

"No, that I could not."

"What went wrong?"

Just then the deck shuddered underneath her feet and the ship started moving. Mara glanced hard at the Grand Admiral: 

"Where are we going?"

He smiled at her: 

"Not far. By the way, do you still have the copies you made of the Emperor's files?" 

Mara sat brooding on the small bed in the cabin she had been assigned aboard the Relentless. Thrawn had dismissed her shortly after the Star Destroyer had jumped to lightspeed headed the Force knew were. The Grand Admiral had not questioned her further and if he was trying to make her feel safe now he had missed his goal by miles. Mara was worried. He knew far more than she had expected and additionally, he had a knack for asking the wrong questions and drawing the right conclusions. 

The Grand Admiral had an expert knowledge not only of tactics but also of people. Something Vader seemed to lack entirely. Fact was though, that she would have to be extra careful in maintaining her story. One mistake and Thrawn would catch her. What he would do then, Mara did not even want to know. When suddenly the deck lurched underneath her again she went to the viewport and stared. She knew this planet well: Gyndine, one of the Empire's major drive yards. Space was crowded with half-completed ships and work crews, but there was one construct that held her eyes fixed. There, in the middle of it all and suspended in a dock the largest ship she had ever seen hung over the planet like a raptor ready to strike. 

The door behind her chimed open and Mara whirled around, surprised. She had not felt anyone approach. The young lieutenant gave her a weak smile: "The Grand Admiral requires your presence on the bridge," he informed her and waited. Mara threw him a hard glance, and with a last look back at the Super-class Star Destroyer left the cabin.

The tiny shuttle dropped out of hyperspace just a few clicks away from the planet of Pakrat Minor. It had not been a long voyage, but the ship's single occupant had spent it mostly in sullen silence which was only interrupted by the occasional heart-felt curse. Now, keeping a steady eye on his radar read-outs, the pilot felt a bit calmer. And when he finally discovered the single Star Destroyer looming in the distance a tiny smile crept onto his lips.

"Unidentified shuttle, this is Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera," a harsh voice suddenly blared from his comm speaker. "State your business."

Jay Gerran sighed deeply: 

"Information."

There was a slight pause. No doubt the comm officer was asking himself if that was a any sort of business at all. There was a strange sound form the comm and then another officer picked up the conversation:

"Your code, please," the man asked smoothly and Gerran's ears perked up with interest:

"Captain Palleon?"

"Yes, indeed."

"I have some urgent news for the Grand Admiral."

"Fine. I hope they are good ones. For a change. We will take you on board."

Grand Admiral Thrawn was seated in the command chair with Captain Piett standing loyally by his side. What a pair, Mara snorted inwardly and walked up to the two men. But when she opened her mouth to speak Thrawn raised one hand to silence her, his eyes intent on the forward holoscreen. Mara followed his gaze and nearly jumped when she saw Jay Gerran standing on the bridge of another Star Destroyer, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. When he noticed Mara his eyes flickered for the merest fraction of a second. She pressed her lips together in a grim line and folded her arms in front of her chest expectantly. This should become pretty interesting.

"Gerran," the Grand Admiral began, his tone pleasant. "Were you given the impression that he suspected something when he sent you on this mission?"

"No, sir. He seemed upset at Needa's capture." 

Mara started in surprise and knew without turning her head that Thrawn was keeping a sharp eye on her reactions.

"Upset. Why?"

"Well, obviously he had not expected it."

"Not expected the capture or not expected the capture taking place on Tatooine?"

"I am not sure, sir, but he seemed surprised at Needa being on Tatooine at all."

"Why did he send you to Pakrat Minor then?"

"There are two possible answers to that question, aren't there?" Gerran replied miserably.

"Indeed."

"Then he knows?"

"Maybe. There is a difference between knowing and suspecting though. Which is why you will return to Hoth."

"Sir!" the agent wailed.

"Dismissed, Gerran. And keep me posted."

Turning off the holo screen the Grand Admiral turned to face the Emperor's Hand smiling coldly:

"Now, let us continue our previous conversation. You were about to tell me why your mission failed, I believe."

Mara nodded: 

"Actually I was disturbed by a squad of storm troopers. They wrecked the entire place."

"A bar of the seedier kind, if I remember correctly."

"Yes."

"And then?"

"I was badly injured when the building exploded."

"But you survived."

Mara closed her eyes: "Yes. He saved my life."

"Wrenga Jixton saved your life?" 

It was all she could do to hide her satisfaction at having surprised Thrawn for a change.

"Why?"

"I believe he sees this as some sort of competition. And fair sportsmanship requires helping your opponent when a third party enters the game."

"A third party," the Grand Admiral mused aloud and again his lips twitched silently, 

"Thank you, Mara Jade. And if you allow it, let me apologize in the name of my troops, who unfortunately spoiled your mission."

Mara took a deep breath, but before she could thank him for his concern he continued softly:

"And where have you been hiding until now, gravely injured as you were at that time?"

Her mouth still open Mara was searching her mind frantically for a suitable answer. 

Unfortunately the Grand Admiral himself came to her rescue: 

"No need to bother with that, I think. It is time to welcome another - guest - on board." 

Rising elegantly Thrawn left the bridge and Mara had no choice but to follow. 

"Captain Piett," he said in passing, "please resume the command. I will rejoin you shortly."

Mara could not but notice the implications in that last statement. _I_ will rejoin you...Not _we_. But then, who was she kidding? He knew! Thrawn knew where she had been. Knew where he could find his enemies. And Vader had never even considered the possibility that Jay Gerran might not be Mon Mothma's spy but in fact... She froze inwardly. No. He had known. From the very beginning. 

"You see, Jade, he is so caught up in this game that he is missing the whole point completely. This is not a contest to determine who has the better scheme, the better agents or even the better tactics. This is a war."

She did not reply.

"Did you know from the beginning what he is?"

Mara shook her head no. Who in the galaxy _could_ know what Vader really was? She noticed Thrawn studying her intently. Looking up to face him fully Mara smiled a bit: if he ever learned who his opponent was, the Grand Admiral would be surprised indeed. 

"Who is this guest?" she asked finally.

"You will see."

Following the alien into the small holding cell Mara expected the worst. And her intuition did not fail her. But the man tailor-seated on the cell's single bunk jerked with surprise at seeing her and his cool gray eyes narrowed suspiciously. What was Needa thinking? That she had been the one who betrayed him? Possibly. Mara threw him a tiny smile. 

"You know each other, I believe," Thrawn ventured and it was hard to not hear the satisfaction in his voice. 

Captain Needa nodded slowly:

"We do indeed. What is she doing here?"

"I am not sure myself. But maybe she wants to tell you."

Raising his black eyebrows coolly Thrawn gave Mara an expectant look. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath:

"I am sorry having to tell you that Wrenga Jixton made a mistake in taking me to your friends."

Needa's eyes flickered for a second. Good. He was not stupid and with any luck he would catch up on this game pretty soon. But when he turned his head slowly, taking in his surroundings deliberately as if seeing them for the first time she did experience some doubts. 

At her side the Grand Admiral frowned. Then the Captain's eyes came to rest on the alien admiral's face and he smiled coldly. Mara felt her breath catch in her throat. _That_ look she knew all too well.

"He was not the only one, it would seem," Needa told her mockingly, "But a mistake, Mara Jade, is so easily undone."

Thrawn cocked his head to one side and then smiled at the captive: 

"Jay Gerran told me about that particular trick. He also said that it does require a lot of concentration."

"I would not know about that," the other answered, laughing quietly.

"You deliberately allowed Needa to be captured."

"Oh, yes." 

"But to what purpose?"

"Maybe I just like to play," Needa bit out and for a split-second his gray eyes were a distinctly ice-blue shade. 

Thrawn acted so fast that Mara did not even realize what had happened until she found herself pressed against the corridor wall with the Grand Admiral holding her.

"What was that?" she exclaimed, aghast.

"Apparently the Sith can enter and control another's mind."

"But -"

"He knows about Gerran then. That was why he sent him, just to annoy me." 

Mara blinked in surprise, then understanding. Yes. That was very much like Vader. Very much so.

"And maybe we can still surprise him," Thrawn added slowly. Raising his head sharply he locked his eyes with Mara's: "But I will need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes. The choice is yours, of course, but let us at least talk about it first. In my office."

Following him on weak legs Mara tried to gather her senses. Obviously Thrawn knew about her entanglements with the Rebels and now he wanted her to decide which side she really was on. If she betrayed Vader now... Her last vision flashed across her inner eye again. His blood on her hands. And he wanted her to do it. This was a sick game he was playing. And she did not understand any of it. _In time maybe you will._ He had said that, hadn't he? Heaving a small sigh Mara decided not to rush anything. For now she only had to survive.

Grand Admiral Thrawn took his accustomed place in the semi-darkness of his meditation chamber. The silence was welcome after the very recent events which, he had to admit, had indeed surprised him. His opponent was toying with him so obviously that he would have to move very carefully in the future. Why had he sent Mara Jade here? And with the files too he himself had tried to obtain on Obra-Skai and failed. A present? A peace offer? Thrawn doubted it. 

The Sith were warriors, and very effective ones. But usually they were no battle leaders.Which was why this particular Sith had avoided meeting the Grand Admiral in open combat so far. He had to draw him out somehow, he knew, but now another possibility had presented itself. And for using it to his own advantage he needed the cooperation of the Emperor's Hand.

"Do you know why he sent you here?"

She simply shook her head.

"Then I will tell you: because he is done with using you. There is nothing more you can do that could benefit him. And he does not trust you. Never has, for that matter."

"What makes you think so?"

"Would he have sent you if he knew that there was anything vital you could tell me? What is it you do _not_ know, Mara Jade? Has he ever trusted you with his plans?"

"He trusts noone," she snorted.

"That I don't doubt. But the more important issue here is that he does not trust you in particular. You were the decoy for Jixton's mission on Coruscant, nothing more. On Hoth you were conveniently injured enough not to be able to attend the vital meetings. That is the truth, is it not?"

"Yes," Mara replied softly.

"Then you have lost everything and gained nothing in return for that sacrifice. You betrayed your Emperor. For what, I wonder?"

"I lost my faith."

"And did you find it again with the Rebel Alliance?" 

"No."

"What _did_ you find?"

She laughed weakly: "Distrust, threats, lies, nothing real, it seems. But what about Needa? He knows more than anyone else."

"Are you sure about that?"

"No."

"Anyway, the Captain is nothing more but a puppet now. He will not yield anything his master does not allow him to. He is of no use. As are you."

For a long moment the silence between them was nearly suffocating.

"You said I could help you," Mara whispered finally, her voice trembling. 

"Yes," the Grand Admiral purred, "there is that possibility. And now I am asking you: 

__

will you help?"

Anakin Skywalker stood at the viewport of his cabin, his hands folded behind his back, and smiled at the multitude of stars scattered across the black canvas of eternity. Easing out of Needa's mind gently he was careful not to disturb the other's thought in any way. No traces. That way the Captain would retain his sanity, and he still needed him alive and well. Grand Admiral Thrawn was now firmly caught in the trap the Dark Lord had laid out for him. 

Just as much as Mara Jade. She had no idea what game he was truly playing at, and neither did Thrawn. He laughed softly in delight. They would not realize the truth until too late. He would make certain of that.

"Anakin," a familiar voice intoned softly. 

The Dark Lord turned around slowly:

"Obi-Wan. Don't tell me. Something to do with Luke?" he asked, unwilling to give up his good mood just yet.

"Yes." The ghostly image seemed to shake his head slightly, "He was captured on Chandrilea."

A tiny gasp caught in Anakin's throat: "What?" he croaked, completely taken aback. 

But it did not take him long to recover. Never look back. A problem is there only to be solved, not to be mourned. Finally Obi-Wan continued:

"His astromech brought his fighter to Dagobah."

"Does it know where its master is now?" 

"Apparently it was monitoring Imperial comm traffic. Luke is being held on Myrk."

"Myrk," the Dark Lord closed his eyes for a moment, "You realize, of course, that there is noone I could contact. Karrde and Solo might be willing to go, but Thrawn knows about that deal we made. And the rest -" 

He paused, then barked a short laugh: "Oh, he will love this one. Indeed, he will." 

It had been a long flight so far and Amidala had had only her worries to deal with. Her nameless captor had kept mostly to herself, vanishing into the aft hold for hours at times. Exercising or meditating, the queen guessed. She must have searched the whole ships during those periods, but had found no clues as to where they were headed, who they were going to meet or why.

Now though the alien's rising agitation told Amidala that they were nearing the end of the voyage. Sitting together in the spacious cockpit Amidala fought valiantly against the fear and anxiety trying to crush her heart. She could not break down now. But in the end she could not bear the uncertainty any longer.

"Are we going to meet with my husband?" she asked finally, her voice calm and composed.

The alien blinked her yellow eyes in surprise: 

"Your husband? Who is that?"

A feeling of sudden triumph flooded the queen's mind, but she was careful not to show it.

"Why, Lord Vader of course. You did not know that?" 

There was just the slightest hint of disapproval in her tone, enough to let the other woman know what she thought of misinformed kidnappers.

But she did not rise to that challenge. Smiling broadly at the smaller woman and showing off her sharp teeth, the alien shook her head slightly:

"How strange. He never mentioned you."

Just then the nav comp sounded an alarm and the pilot reached forward to bring the ship out of hyperspace. Only seconds later they broke the atmosphere. 

For a moment Amidala's breath caught in her throat. This was not Coruscant, as she had feared. No, this planet was the most desolate she had ever seen. Except, maybe, for Tatooine. 

Huge, craggy cliffs of black stone rose into the sky miles high, and storm winds tore at the ship, howling with thundering voices through the steep canyons of the ragged mountains.

After a wild ride through this maze the ship shot into an open valley, which actually looked pretty pleasant. The flat bottom was only interrupted by a strange construct of parallel stone slabs forming a sort of ramp leading towards a low entrance. Amidala frowned. 

"What is this place?" 

"Home," the alien answered, pride shining through her voice, "Welcome to Korriban."

The touchdown was uneventful, but when Amidala stepped off the landing ramp the choking heat hit her like a wet blanket. Her head spinning, she paused for a moment, to take a deep breath. 

"You will get used to it," the woman told her gruffly as she went past. "Come. Let us meet with the Lords."

Sighing, Amidala followed her slowly through the open corridor the huge slabs formed on both sides. The gray earth had been beaten flat to form a ramp leading into what seemed to have been a cave once. Two guards were standing in front of the entrance, dressed in long red robes and their heads covered by slick red helmets. She remembered those. Palpatine's Royal Guard. What where they doing here?

But then they were already past and compared to the brooding heat outside, the shadowy cave, its walls dripping with moisture, was welcome even. Despite herself Amidala smiled with relief. But not for long. She was all alone on enemy territory and she did not know what was awaiting her here. Well, whatever it was, she would not give the Sith the satisfaction of seeing her cowed in any way. She was a queen, after all. And she would deal with this somehow.

The other woman quickened her pace and stepped towards the five men assembled at the far end of the room. In the gloom it was impossible to make out their faces, but the queen refused to let that intimidate her in any way. Drawing herself up haughtily she remained standing at the entrance and waited.

Finally the men came towards her, one spear-heading the group, while the woman slipped to one side of the cave, where a hushed conversation suddenly rose up, but quieted quickly as the fivesome reached Amidala. 

The leader of the group was a tall, handsome man, his long white hair bound back in a pony-tail and his weathered face conveyed a certain wisdom paired with a hidden deviousness, a combination Amidala had first seen on Chancellor Palpatine's face. 

"Welcome, Lady Vader," he began pleasantly and she was surprised by his beautiful voice, 

"I am Roj Kell. Please permit me to introduce the Council to you." 

Pointing towards the four remaining men he indicated the one to his right first: 

"Lord Sa-Di, Lord Nefta, Lord Goir and Lord Sedriss, at your service."

The four men nodded an acknowledgement and Sedriss even smiled at her, but Amidala shivered at the predatory gleam in their eyes. 

"A pleasure," she almost choked on these words, but there was no need to alienate them at this point. 

A slow smile spread on Roj Kell's lips. Reaching out he took her hand carefully and led her towards the second group. Amidala forced a likewise smile on her lips and followed him, seemingly without concern. 

A short alien stepped forward, bowing to her sharply and when his head came back up to face her Amidala could not suppress a small scream. Huge eyes fixed her in a curious stare and his flexible snout boasted a full assortment of needle-sharp teeth. The reptilian skin was gleaming with moisture and when he smiled it was a smile full of irony.

"This," Kell, told her," is Chi'in. His apprentice, Naas Deron ." Here the Sith Lord pointed at a tall human hulking behind the much shorter alien. "You have already met Nuron, and this is her apprentice Puket." A short Twi'lek female nodded at her, smiling. "And Cronn, another apprentice." A gangly alien eyed her coolly. A Falleen, Amidala realized. 

And she could not help noticing that where the Council was entirely made up of human males this group consisted of mostly humanoid aliens. Coincidence? Hardly. And a fact to keep in mind. Maybe it could be turned into an advantage later on. Turning to face Roj Kell again Amidala gave him a cold smile: 

"I am so pleased to meet you all. But where is my husband?" 

"Ah, I am afraid that is a rather complicated story. And I am sure that you are tired from your long journey. I suggest you rest first. Then we can talk."

"What a charming idea."

The room she had been given was airy, yet cool. But since it was underground there was only artificial light, reflected in billions of tiny water droplets. Along the walls some sort of moss had grown and its ruby-red blossoms gave off a faint scent that, together with the ever-present water, reminded her of Naboo. Nothing she needed right now. Dropping down on the soft bed decorated beautifully with red and yellow gold-embroidered pillows Amidala heaved a tiny sigh. Despite the pleasantries, this room and everything else, she had seen the truth in Roj Kell's eyes: she was a prisoner. Period now, and maybe forever.

They had not known who she was, Amidala was sure of that, and now she began doubting her own sanity. Why had she told them at all? Anakin was not here. Would he return soon? And where was he at all? Doing what? There were far too many questions and Amidala decided that for now she should not try to ponder them all. Instead she decided to explore the fortress a bit and test the limits the Sith had set for her.

Leaving the room she was surprised to find no guards stationed at her door. When Nuron had led her here they had seemed to be everywhere. Maybe this was a good sign. Silence permeated the dark hallways and she had to take care not to slip on the moist stone floor.

Still, noone was in sight. But she could hear voices not far off. Stalking closer she tried to stop breathing. There were two men talking and her heart leapt higher when she recognized Anakin's voice. 

"All is well. Thrawn has received my little gift and no doubt has drawn his conclusions."

"We have the greatest faith in your abilities, Lord Vader," Roj Kell answered smoothly.

"Really? Then why call me in the first place?" 

Amidala could not miss the sting in his tone and neither did Kell. Rather stiffly he replied:

"There seems to have been a slight anomaly."

"What do you mean?"

"Captain Needa is who I am referring to."

"And what does he have to do with your call?"

"Apparently he was captured on Tatooine."

There was a slight pause and when Anakin spoke again the heat in his tone was unmistakable:

"I did not order him to be monitored, Lord Kell! If you doubt his loyalty you are doubting mine! _Are_ you doubting me?"

"No, not at all. It was mere curiosity..."

"Curiosity," Anakin snorted, "I am warning you: I have tolerated your interfering long enough. But no more."

"Your scheme hardly allows for -"

"And yet you have just told me the contrary. If I find Nuron again on a mission I did not order, she will suffer my wrath. And so will you. Keep that in mind. By the way, if you are thinking about interfering with my son, think again."

"Your son?"

"Has been captured by Thrawn's troops. He is being held on Myrk."

"Myrk!" 

"Again, do not interfere. If he does not pass this test so be it. I cannot allow any weakness."

"Of course, Lord Vader."

"If that is clear then, let me not keep you."

Amidala stood rooted in place, still as a statue, one hand pressed to her bosom. She could not have just heard him say that, could she? No. Luke was in danger! And he did not care. Oh, Anakin.

"My lady?" 

Looking up she was for a moment surprised to find Roj Kell standing in front of her.

"Oh, I - I was just having a look around," she explained weakly. 

But there was no need for pretense, was there? He must have known that she had been standing here all the time. 

"I see," he answered with a smile. "Maybe you would care to join us for dinner?"

"With pleasure." Taking his offered arm, she decided to push her luck a bit: "What scheme were you talking about with my husband?" 

"The Sith will rule again, my lady, and soon. But we are few and have many enemies. Therefore great care has been taken in developing this plan and it seems to have been worth the effort so far."

"Still, you seem to doubt your strategist's abilities."

"Not at all. We trust his military skills completely."

"Then why your monitoring him this way and interfering?"

"Consider this a major investment. Much depends on it and we simply want to make sure that everything flows along smoothly."

"I understand."

Upon reaching the dining hall Amidala was slightly taken aback, her eyes dazzled by the bright colors and warm candle-light. The stone walls were covered with beautifully crafted tapestries and only on second glance did she understand the events they depicted: battles, conquest, the rise of the Sith. 

Roj Kell led her towards the huge wooden table laden generously with different plates of food, where the Council was already waiting. Taking her place next to him Amidala gave the other men a cool smile. Their scrutinizing gazes seemed to bore into her, seemed to look beyond what the eye could see. But she had been married to a Jedi Knight. She knew how to deal with this. Eyeing the food she realized that she had not eaten in what seemed like days. And eating would take her mind off other things, that she was sure of.

Halfway through dinner Amidala leaned back in her chair, sleepy-eyed and fighting to follow the Council's conversation. But then one name caught her immediate attention.

"Tieman's execution was a master-stroke," Sedriss was just saying, his face betraying a certain grudging admiration.

"Yes. And the Rebels did come so close to freeing him," Vil Goir agreed dreamily, just the slightest hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Did they? I was under the impression that the fleet's presence was just a decoy for that other operation."

"You are right. But it could have been interpreted that way too."

Amidala leaned forward: "Other operation?" she asked sweetly. 

Everyone seemed surprised at her sudden interest. Apparently they had all but forgotten about her. Another fact to keep in mind. Roj Kell smiled at her and Amidala decided that this was not a good sign.

"Well, my lady, Lord Vader had this brilliant idea for discrediting the Grand Admiral: while the very real execution of the Chandrilean governor would certainly cause a public uproar the phony attacks by Imperial Star Destroyers on three peaceful worlds did even more so. Thrawn was called back to Coruscant and we can all guess what his superiors had to say to him there. Politicians!" he snorted in disgust.

Amidala's smile froze in place. 

"Truly amazing," she nodded at last.

"Yes, but his latest move is even better. You see, he has let his most trusted officer become Thrawn's prisoner. Captain Needa is very well liked even though he has betrayed the Empire. When he is executed the Navy will most certainly protest and Thrawn will lose their support."

The only give-away for Amidala's surprise was the sudden flicker of her amber eyes:

"Interesting. But couldn't Needa reveal crucial information to the Grand Admiral?"

"I doubt that Lord Vader has allowed him to retain his sanity." 

"Then who will take the Captain's place?" she asked, fascinated, and raised a miraculously refilled wine-glass to her lips.

"In fact," and here Roj Kell's smile deepened dangerously, "I am told that Lord Vader has found himself a new apprentice: your daughter, I believe."

Amidala nearly choked on the sweet wine she had just been sipping. Coughing furiously she put the glass down and stood, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I am sorry. Will you excuse me?" she whispered and left quickly, not caring what the Council might think of her reaction. 

Storming out into the dark hallway, her face contorted with rage, Amidala shook her head in dismay. How could he! How? Tears were flowing freely now, but she couldn't care less. Looking around wildly she spotted the cave's entrance and made for the exit. Two guards stepped in her way to intercept her, but Amidala ignored them completely and pushed between them brutally. One of them grabbed her arm, but let go almost immediately. Turning around in surprise she could just make out Chi'in's small form and a faint smile on his alien face. Amidala gave him a barely perceptible nodand marched out into the night. 

The heat had not lessened at all and wrapped itself around her like a warm blanket as she picked her way carefully over the wet stones, not really knowing where to go. Far away. From them. From him. _Did you really think that he would change?_ a tiny voice demanded harshly. 

Amidala shook her head. Tieman dead and Needa as good as dead. They had risked so much for her! She had seen them as friends, and she had no others left. Not anymore. And Anakin simply had to go and destroy that, just like he had destroyed everything else she had ever held dear. 

Dropping to the hard ground Amidala wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them against her chest tightly, forming a furious little ball of anger. She remembered sitting like that before, waiting for him. 

__

"Where have you been?" she growled, but Anakin did not even seem to realize that something was wrong. Or was he trying to hide his worry behind that smile of his? He was a Jedi. He must know what she felt. She turned her head away, looking out over the green plains of Naboo. "Obi-Wan said that you were late for your training session this morning," Amidala explained, "And you told me that you had to leave early because he already had complained that you have less and less time for his lessons." 

When she faced him again he wore a mask of cold rage. But he wisely kept silent. "So, where have_ you been?" _

Finally Anakin sighed and took a seat in one of the chairs at the window. Stretching out his long legs before him he seemed deeply immersed in studying his boots. New ones, she noticed. "Chancellor Palpatine had to leave very, very early and I had some questions that needed an immediate answer." 

Amidala raised her eyebrows coolly: "And that is reason enough to lie to me? To Obi-Wan?" He did not answer. Amidala frowned. In the past months there had been a lot of these laden silences, with words unsaid and secrets untold. She nearly had enough of it. 

When Anakin had started taking a sudden interest in politics Amidala had been first flattered because he always came to her for advice, pestering her with questions about responsibility, difficulties, fractions and what not else. But her teachings seemingly did not suffice to satisfy him. Not after long he started criticizing her, telling her that she was too lenient, too passive. And when he began talking about manipulation and deception as more effective means to reaching her goals Amidala had refused to teach him any more. He had only blinked at her, smiled, and said that it was alright. Was it? Who did he think he was? The most powerful Jedi alive should know about responsibility, shouldn't he? And now he had tried to enter her domain, criticized her even, as if she did not already feel humbled by his fiery presence and power. 

But things had gotten much, much worse. Not only did the political climate in the Galactic Senate turn decidedly more hostile. But at the same time Anakin buried himself in his political studies, scrutinizing laws, court sentences, history and everything that seemed of any use to him. They did not see each other for days at times and although he always tried to make up for it Amidala knew that his thoughts were on something else. His Plan. That stupid plan that upset Obi-Wan and the entire Jedi Council. Amidala closed her eyes, seeing yet again Anakin's red face when he came back from another fruitless Council meeting. She herself had tried to concentrate on a recent report on the new cloning techniques Chancellor Palpatine was praising so highly. And then Anakin had burst into the room, trembling with rage.

"I know_ what he is planning!" he screamed and Amidala flinched back at the sheer heat of his anger. _

"Anakin," she tried soothingly, "Calm down." When he turned on her, his blue eyes burning, she knew that this time he was on the brink. Obi-Wan had told her about the Council's worries concerning Anakin. That his anger would get the better of him someday. That he might turn to the Dark Side. Amidala had not liked the sound of that at all.

"What do you know," he hissed, cutting her heart open without mercy, "He will push this through and then there will be no stopping him."

"Then why do you keep on taking his advice? If you know why don't you try to uncover that plan and reveal it to the Senate?" Although she tried hard to remain calm her voice was trembling. 

"Because I cannot prove it!" 

"You are a Jedi Knight. They will trust your judgement."

"Trust me!"

"Anakin, what did the Council say? Did you tell them?"

"They believe that I should cease this - investigation," he spat and strode up to the window to frown down at the busy lanes of Coruscant.

"Why?"

"They don't trust him. And they don't trust me. Some of them never have."

"Oh, Anakin. I beg you. You must decide what is best. And remember that the Council is more experienced in these matters than you are."

"More experienced? They do not even know what game they are playing."

He had been sent on a mission to Alderaan within the month. Alone. Amidala did not know what the Council was trying to accomplish with that, and Obi-Wan refused to tell her anything. But whenever she asked his eyes became hard and cold. It was bad. And then it got

even worse. 

"I think you should leave Coruscant," Obi-Wan told her resignedly. 

"Leave? Why?" 

"You are not safe here anymore, Amidala. Go back to Naboo."

"What about Anakin?"

"I will talk to him."

"Then you are going to Alderaan?"

"Yes. I am leaving early tomorrow. And you should too."

"I cannot leave now. There are important issues to be discussed in the Senate."

"Please, it is for the best."

Even now, in the brooding heat of the Korriban night Amidala could not stop shivering. Hugging herself tighter she pressed her forehead against her knees, trying to fight the memories. To no avail. They kept on haunting her, tormenting her. A tiny sob escaped from between her lips and then the tears came. Just as they had all those years ago. 

On the same night Obi-Wan had told her that she had lost her husband to the Dark Side.

__

"Where are you going?" Anakin demanded, when he surprised her in her chambers, packing.

"Home."

"Why? Did Obi-Wan tell you to?"

"Yes. He seems concerned -."

"You will stay."

"Oh no, Anakin, that I will not. I for one trust the Council's judgement."

"You cannot be serious," he told her contemptuously and then she really had had enough of his arrogance.

"I am very serious. And you are supposed to be on a mission on Alderaan. I will return home and you better return to where you came from."

"What?"

"You heard me, clearly, I am sure. I am leaving and you will not stop me."

"Amidala, you do not understand -."

"And I do not care. You want to play games? Fine. But not with me."

"Amidala Padmé Naberrie, you will stay," 

His low, compelling voice froze her in place and it took her a moment to realize what he had done. Turning around slowly Amidala faced him down as only a queen could:

"You dare_! You dare use that filthy trick on me!" _

Anakin flinched back, but almost immediately his face turned sullen, enraging her even more:

"I do not have to take this from anyone, let alone my husband! Who do you think you are, Jedi!" 

She was shouting now, but she did not care. Not at all. But when he stepped up to her his eyes were so cold that she shivered with sudden fear. Grabbing her right arm brutally Anakin drew her very close. Amidala refused to look up at him, her heart frozen with dread, but his left hand turned her face around slowly, as she tried to fight him, unwilling to give in. And afraid of what she would see. Or hear.

"You are making a mistake," he whispered, his voice like thin ice threatening to break at any point to plunge her into the roaring fire imprisoned underneath, "And if you leave now I will find you wherever you go. I will find you, Padmé. You will stay here, or suffer my revenge. If you leave now, Padmé, I swear I will kill you."

Crying softly Amidala shook with fear and despair. She had left then, but there had been no time to recover from the wounds her soul and heart had received by Anakin's unthinking cruelty. No time at all. And now, after all those years, he had made his threats come true. She was suffering greatly. And she did not know what to do anymore. Suddenly she jerked in surprise when huge raindrops started falling ever faster, bursting on the black stone, drenching her clothes, her hair, assaulting her with brute force. 

Rising on shaking legs Amidala rubbed some life into her numb arms and started back towards the underground cave. The open corridor funneled the water into the entrance and she was first taken aback by the seeming stupidity of the construction, but then her eyes followed the flow and she realized that there was a purpose to the whole design. Following the stream downwards she walked straight past the two guards, not seeing them at all. 

The darkness swallowed her whole and her eyes, already accustomed to the nightly gloom, found the shimmering crystals leading the way quickly. In a natural pattern they decorated the walls, shining like stars. Amidala smiled a bit. It was beautiful, she had to admit. Carefully she took one step at a time, trying not to slip on her way deeper into the mountain. Not before long the air around her turned cooler, but not too much so. Like spring rain, clear and refreshing. It reminded her of Naboo. 

And then she stood in another cave, this one lit almost entirely by tiny crystals, millions and millions of them scattered throughout the rocky walls. Amidala sighed with delight. The middle of the cave was a huge pool of invitingly clear water. She felt compelled to touch it and knelt down gracefully, smiling. Just then she became aware of the tall alien tailor-seated on the opposite shore. The Falleen apprentice had his eyes closed and she could see his chest rise and fall evenly. It was a calm picture and somehow it did not seem to fit the image of the Sith. A movement by her side caught her attention and she suppressed a scream, intent on not disturbing Cronn in his meditation, when Chi'in appeared out of the shadows and took her hand, still stretched towards the pool's surface.

His skin was cool and rough, but his close presence unnerved her. Drawing away she gave the alien a small smile. "Do not touch the water, Lady Vader. Watch," he explained and pointed at the Falleen. Turning her head Amidala sat down beside the crouching warrior and they waited together. Very slowly she became aware of the rising temperature, the mist rising off the water. Ripples began to form and the tiny waves slapped harder and harder against the shore. And then, very suddenly, the water started to boil. This time Amidala did scream. And Cronn's concentration broke. The Falleen hissed something in his own language and shook his head, frowning at her. Chi'in simply laughed. Turning towards Amidala his lantern eyes twinkled mischievously: "Would you care for a swim, my lady?" Amidala only shook her head and smiled at him.

Pacing the length of his cabin Anakin Skywalker was fuming. At his side Obi-Wan Kenobi waited patiently for the Dark Lord to calm down.

"This is a dangerous gamble, Anakin. What if he doesn't fall for that trick?"

"I know Roj Kell," waving a hand in dismissal he resumed his place at the viewport, "But I would much rather know why he called me at all. Needa was not the reason, I am sure of that."

"Maybe he knew about Luke's capture already."

"No, it is not that. If they suspect something ..."

When the door crashed open it took them both by surprise. Leia did not even break stride at seeing the shimmering ghost by her father's side:

"Threepio just received a very interesting message," the Princess began without preamble.

"Indeed. What about?"

"It was from Artoo. Did you know? Did you?"

"I see. No. Obi-Wan just told me."

She took a step back, aghast: "You did not plan this?"

"No."

"Then how are we going to get him out?"

"I have already arranged that, don't worry."

Leia gave him a cold smile: "Worry? Me?"

"Nothing will happen to Luke. Trust me."

"And Needa?"

"What about him?" 

Leia sighed in exasperation: "Father. Something is going on. I can feel it. So stop playing with me. Father. Are you listening at all?"

"Wait," he told her, his voice barely audible, and grimaced painfully. "Wait, I think- Needa!" Anakin gasped and shook his head, moaning softly.

"What is it?"

Mara was unconsciously leaning towards Needa, ignoring his screams, or at least tried to. By her side Grand Admiral Thrawn wore a faint smile. They could do nothing but wait now. And finally they got a reaction. Very suddenly the Captain's eyelids flew open and his gray eyes sparkled with anger: "Jade," he hissed between swollen lips which slowly contorted into a forced smile: "I never had thought that you would agree to such methods." Mara blinked in surprise. But he couldn't be serious. He was playing again. 

"Maybe you just don't know me well enough," she whispered and held her breath when a sudden wave of nausea hit her. 

Needa's body stiffened almost immediately and after a few seconds he started shaking so violently that Mara almost rose to protest a continuation of this experiment. But then his struggles ceased as quickly as they had started. Rushing to his side the former Emperor's Hand was relieved to find the readings on his heart rate and pulse in the normal range. 

"A success?" Thrawn asked softly as he stepped towards her, his glowing red eyes fixed on the seemingly unconscious prisoner. 

Mara shook her head: "I am not sure. Maybe when he wakes up-" 

With a gasp Needa came to and blinked his eyes rapidly, apparently still in shock. Looking around wildly he frowned first at Mara, then at the Grand Admiral. Finally he stopped to stare at the three slender creatures lounging in now open metal containers. His frown deepened. 

"Welcome back," Thrawn told him coolly. 

"Hardly," Needa snorted and sank back again, closing his eyes tightly. Mara and the admiral shared a glance. Mara simply shrugged. How was she to know if this had worked out or not? She could not feel a thing with the Ysalamiri around. 

"Your lordship," Thrawn began anew. Needa did not stir, but after a while he opened his eyes again, his mouth a grim line. Mara gasped. Could it be? 

"We meet again, it seems," the Captain said softly and shook his head slowly. 

Thrawn seemed surprised: "We do?" Suddenly realization dawned on his face. Turning towards Mara his lips drew back in a silent snarl. She raised her eyebrows coolly. 

"Not my fault," she told him, shrugging again. 

"Not your fault, Jade?" he whispered dangerously: "You knew all the time that it is Darth Vader opposing me and you never told me. Not your fault? I don't think so."

Behind him Needa shook with silent laughter: "She tricked you, it would seem. But your plan has failed." 

Whirling towards him again Thrawn stared down at the Captain, incredulous: "Failed?" 

Needa nodded with a cool smile: "Utterly."

Thrawn's glowing eyes narrowed dangerously before he turned away to leave. "Get him back to his cell," he told the two guards, "And you, Mara Jade, will come with me." Sighing Mara threw Needa a sympathetic smile. He did not return it. If only she could get rid of that guilty feeling! Shaking her head in disgust at herself Mara stepped out into the corridor and followed the Grand Admiral in some distance. He was in a foul mood, she could see that, and there was no need in angering him further. Her little game had blown in her face and she had the sinking feeling that this too had been part of Vader's plan. What did he want? Humiliate her? Well, he had succeeded in that. But why the praise before she had left? Strange. Very strange. 

When Thrawn stopped suddenly Mara nearly bumped into him. Turning towards her he wore a deep frown on his face: "Did you know that we have captured Luke Skywalker?" 

She blinked once or twice: "What?" 

He smiled coldly: "I will take that as a no." Nodding to himself the Grand Admiral resumed walking again: "Good. There is the slightest chance that Vader has not planned for that to happen. I would be surprised if he had. Although, who knows?" 

Who knows indeed, Mara agreed inwardly. But she just had to assume that Vader loved his son and would never deliberately put him or his daughter in harm's way. Otherwise she would have yet another reason to hate the Dark Lord for his cold calculations and manipulations. Needa evidently had had no clue about his part in Vader's scheme. And he was his most trusted officer. Shaking her head again Mara decided to give up trying to understand the Dark Lord. He was not her concern anymore. 

The landing on Hoth was uneventful, but Han Solo had a wary eye on everyone standing even remotely close to Leia. Her father, luckily, was nowhere in sight. "Wait here, okay?" he asked Chewie and waited for the other's growled affirmation. "Thanks, pal. I'll meet you later." Striding out of the cockpit Han smoothed down the front of his jacket. His shirt was a complete loss, crumpled after long hours of flight. But she wouldn't care. He hoped. Grinning broadly he took the princess in a fierce embrace and kissed her, ignoring the whistles and good-natured comments by the deck crew. When he let her go again she was beet-red. 

"Let's go," she whispered breezily and led him away. 

"How are things here?" 

She did not answer at first. 

"That bad?" Han continued and slowed down a bit until they came to stop in the middle of the North passage. Turning to face him again Leia tried a smile. And failed miserably. "Leia, what happened?" he asked finally, exasperated. 

"Not here," she sighed and drew him towards her own quarters. 

Once inside she dropped down on her bed and put her head in her hands. Han took a chair, dragged it up to her and sat down. Reaching out he stroked her head gently, kissing her forehead. "Tell me, will ya?" he whispered and took her hands in his. They were icy cold. 

"Luke has been captured," she began, "and Needa too." Han stopped breathing for a second.

"What?" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief, "How could that happen? Don't tell me he _planned_ that!" 

Leia looked away.: "He did with Needa. But he had expected the capture to take place on Pakrat Minor. Don't ask me why. Thrawn tried to trap him and failed. Don't ask me how. He doesn't tell me much of late. As if that were surprising in a any way."

"And Luke?"

"I have no idea. Artoo sent a message. He is at Dagobah right now." 

"Does he know where they took Luke?" She nodded: 

"A planet called Myrk."

"Me and Chewie can go there, get him out -" he offered and Leia's face blossomed into the 

most beautiful smile. 

"Thank you," she said and kissed him quickly, "but that won't be necessary."

"Is Jix going?" Han asked, suddenly suspicious. She laughed out loud: 

"No. Father has arranged something."

"What?"

"He wouldn't say. But he is certain that nothing will happen to Luke."

"And you believe him?"

"I have no choice, have I? And besides, I trust him. He will not let any harm get to Luke."

"You sure?"

"Sure."

Waking up seemed to become harder every day. He had lost track of the time pretty soon, right after he had given up trying to touch the Force. He simply couldn't. Blinking heavy eyelids Luke pushed himself up on his elbows and regarded the metal cuffs fixed around his wrists for a while. They had taken his lightsabre, of course, and injected him with something, but once they had arrived on this planet everything had changed. He remembered waking up the first day and throwing up almost immediately. 

He had felt so sick that he only wanted to die. Something had been missing and it had not taken him long to find out what it was: the Force. He could not feel anything. Like being pushed in a desert filled with nothing, like being deaf and blind all at once. He had gotten used to it by now. He really had no choice. They didn't treat him too bad, luckily. But it was hard to endure the long hours all alone. Luke sighed and rolled over on his back to stare at the ceiling. 

Artoo had escaped, he was almost sure of that. Would he try to get help? Sure he would. And they would come and get him, he knew. Smiling a bit Luke lost himself in daydreams of Han Solo and Chewie bursting through the door, Leia not far behind, her face a mask of grim determination. Or maybe his father would come. On the other hand maybe not. He could not use the Force here after all. Luke froze. What if the Imperials turned this into a trap for Anakin? He would be helpless, just like himself! Jumping up in deep concern Luke was hit immediately by a wave of nausea. But he had learned to control that. 

Grimacing in disgust he shook his head wildly, trying to get rid of that sour taste in his mouth. When he looked up again the door of his cell was wide open. Luke stared. The man standing in the doorway was clearly an alien. His dark blue skin was contrasting sharply with his white admiral's uniform and red eyes were glowing dangerously out of a fine-boned face. His jet black hair was smoothed back thoroughly and he was smiling.

"Luke Skywalker," he said softly and Luke's ears perked up at the sound of his voice.

"Who are you?" he demanded, slightly annoyed. 

"Permit me to introduce myself. I am Grand Admiral Thrawn." Luke merely smiled at him. The admiral eyed him with interest, then stepped into the cell. Luke's smile froze when he saw Mara follow him closely. She grimaced at him uncomfortably as if she wanted to tell him that she wanted to be here as much as he did. Somehow he even could believe that. She was, after all, a Force-user just like him. 

"Mara," he said, ignoring Thrawn deliberately, "what are you doing here?" 

"Keeping me company," the alien cut in smoothly. 

"Really?"Luke countered and raised his eyebrows coolly. "And what are _you_ doing here, Grand Admiral?" 

The other man laughed: "A true Jedi. I recognize your kind." Luke didn't answer. 

But apparently Thrawn had not really expected a response. Nodding at the young man sitting on the bed he smiled again: "Do you think your father will come to free you?" he wondered aloud and Luke simply laughed, shaking his head. 

"He is no fool, you know?" Thrawn didn't reply at first. 

"I had thought you would be more surprised, Skywalker."

"Why? Because you know that he is alive? I guess Mara told you. Or someone else. Maybe he even told you himself," Luke shrugged. 

"You know your father well, it seems."

"Better than you do." 

A cruel smile appeared on the Grand Admiral's lips: "Then maybe you will share that knowledge with me," he hissed. 

Luke shook his head: "You are mistaken. He did not tell me anything. And besides, I do not think that it would be of much use to you anyway. He seldom leaves loose ends behind." 

Thrawn jerked back in surprise. Obviously he had expected something else. No, someone else, Luke realized. He felt his chest swell with pride, but crushed the feeling almost immediately. Just because he had realized that he truly was well on his way to becoming a Jedi Knight there was no reason to get all high on that. He was still a prisoner. But he could not help noticing the admiring glance Mara gave him. 

Suddenly an aide stood in the doorway, panting as if he had run all the way. And he probably had. "Sir," he gasped, "The ship is ready to leave." 

Thrawn did not turn towards him. He was still looking thoughtfully at Luke: "Thank you, lieutenant. I take it the fleet is ready for the Hoth operation?" 

This time Luke simply knew that his surprise showed plainly on his face. Thrawn smiled, gave him a military nod and left. Mara hesitated a bit before following: 

"Luke, I just want to tell you that I had no idea what he had planned." 

"Who? Thrawn or my father?"

"Your - You know. I had no choice."

"I see. But if you had one, Mara, which side would you choose?"

"The right one. Gotta go. Take care."

"Sure. I'll try." 

And then she was gone too and the cell door closed again with a loud thud, sealing Luke in the unfeeling desert again. He sighed. Leaning his head against the wall he closed his eyes. There really was nothing he could do that he had not already tried before. No escape. Growling softly he curled into his mattress and tried to sleep again.

Mara Jade stood at the viewport of her cabin, watching the planet Myrk fall behind. Luke had grown a lot since last she had seen him. He was not the slightly naive youth he had been. He was a Jedi. And somehow she did feel proud of him. How he had countered Thrawn's efforts in putting him off balance. He had not revealed anything. Whereas his father would already have ripped off the Grand Admiral's head, Force or not. Mara smiled grimly. Vader would not stay idle. He would try to free his son. Or maybe he would send Jix. Yes, probably that. And Thrawn would be prepared for anything. She shivered. The game had taken on a whole new level now that Thrawn knew the truth. She remembered how he had held a lecture on the Sith to her and Piett, that they were masters of manipulation, but worked alone most of the time. That he held a small surprise ready for the Dark Lord. He had actually laughed at that. 

He seemed convinced that only Vader was making the difference with the rebel troops. After all their fleet was still no match for the Imperial Navy, despite their efforts and allies. And now Thrawn could strike in earnest. They would reach Hoth in a few days, a week at the latest. What would happen then? Would Vader take up the challenge and face Thrawn in open combat, match his skills against the Grand Admiral's? Mara doubted it. Thrawn had told her that he had beaten Vader numerous times in simulated space battles. And, knowing the Dark Lord, he would not have forgotten about that. No. Nothing was certain anymore. Nothing at all.

Han Solo stood to attention despite himself. But having Anakin Skywalker stare at you could bring out the eager little trooper in anyone. Anyone except Jix, it seemed. The Corellian agent lounged unconcernedly in the visitor's chair in front of the Dark Lord's desk and was playing around with some datacards. Without even looking at him Anakin slapped down on his hand hard. With an angry yelp Jix jumped in surprise and glared at his employer, who was still staring hard at Han. 

"You know what you have to do?" Han nodded. "And Karrde will go along?"

"Sure. He agrees that the Empire needs a pounding and soon. But I guess he just wants you off his neck." 

Anakin laughed softly: 

"Indeed. Well. There is nothing more to say. Give us a sign once you are past the Coruscant defenses. Don't let yourself get caught and stay put. I am counting on you there, Solo. Do not disappoint me."

Han grinned broadly: "Not on my life."

"I hope so. Karrde will remain true to his word. As will his associates."

"Yeah. I know some of them. From back in the old times, you know?"

The Dark Lord nodded: "Let me not keep you. I am sure there is someone who would like to talk to you too."

Han's face broke into a smile at the thought of Leia and he left without another word. They had until morning and he was looking forward to having her all to himself. She did not seem angry at him anymore. A relief. Striding down the icy hallways he was humming to himself happily. Knocking at the door to the Princess' quarters he waited for a few moments, then entered with a smile. To his great disappointment she was bent over some report looking busy. 

"Uh, Leia?"

"Hm?" she sighed and looked up tiredly. 

"I am leaving tomorrow morning."

"I know."

"So I thought we might spend the evening together like."

"Like what?" she inquired, smiling.

"Like a romantic dinner aboard the Falcon? Next to the fourth moon with a spectacular view on Hoth?" 

Her smile deepened: "That sounds like a splendid idea."

"But?"

"There is no but, Han."

"Oh?" he asked in mock surprise. "Good. Whenever you're ready then."

Tailor-seated on his bed in the small room he called his own in the Hoth base Anakin Skywalker let his mind wander, clearing his thoughts of all distractions. He was tired. And he felt as if he had spent the past months running uphill all the time. It was definitely time for some rest. But not yet, he knew. On the other hand his growing exhaustion was not good at all. He needed his mind focused on the problems at hand. Thrawn was very close to gaining the upper hand. And as the game took on an ever faster pace his restlessness grew. He wanted to finish it here and now. Not possible, he knew. Well. Tomorrow Solo would start on his mission to Coruscant. He and some of Karrde's associates would smuggle ten special units into the capitol, where they would lie low for a while. 

Thrawn might suspect something, but he would have other things to deal with. The attack on Hoth, for example. An accusation of treason and an enemy right on his door-step. But, Anakin told himself with a smile, all in good time and order. He was keeping himself so open that the Grand Admiral must start wondering. And he would feed his suspicions diligently. What is the Dark Lord planning, Thrawn must be asking himself. Why the ruse with Needa? And why send the former Emperor's Hand? Why give me the files to solve my problem with manning that Super Star Destroyer? So many questions and only one plausible answer. Could it be? Oh yes, it could. Laughing out loud Anakin closed his eyes. The Grand Admiral would very soon find himself on open ground. Open, deadly ground. Two choices, both fatal. The trap was sprung. There was no escape anymore. 

Strictly speaking it was still night-time when Han Solo strode up to his ship, patting the Falcon's outer hull affectionately. Wrapped in a warm jacket he was waiting for Chewbacca. The Wookiee roared an excuse across the great hangar before he dropped his gear at Han's feet. 

"Rise and shine," Han remarked sarcastically at his friend's foul mood. Chewie cocked his head to one side questioningly, then huffed a small laugh and an inquiry. "Yeah, it was a great evening. And no, I couldn't convince her to come with me," Han told him gruffly and brightened up very suddenly when he saw Leia hurry onto the deck. Leaving his co-pilot with the ship he came forward to meet her halfway. 

"Did you think about it?" he asked again and again she shook her head: "I really cannot go. I am needed here." 

Kissing her left ear softly Han sighed: "Too bad. I will miss you." 

She grinned up at him: "And I you."

"Hey, think you can do this without me holding your hand?" 

Han looked up to singe Wrenga Jixton with his fiercest stare. Leia quickly wrapped an arm around his waist, turning towards the agent. "Of course he can," she told Jix reproachfully. 

Han took her hand and squeezed him gently: "You just keep an eye on her, alright?" 

Jix simply nodded. And then it really was time to leave. Han was not looking forward to this. Sneaking into Coruscant was dangerous, but Jix had assured him that the Imps would not even think of a threat this close to home. Not that Han believed him. But he had agreed to do this, so he would. He just hoped that he would see Leia again. And soon.

Leia decided to go back to sleep for some more hours, since she hadn't gotten enough rest the last night. The memory still made her smile. It had been perfect. And she missed Han already.

Hugging her pillow tightly she snuggled against its warmth as if it were him. But such a poor substitute! She fell asleep fast and was wakened much later by Threepio's concerned voice. 

Grumbling a bit she rose and dressed, then left her room to go see her father. She had, after all, some responsibilities. But, still sleepy, she did not recognize the man just leaving the Dark Lord's office at once. 

"Gerran? Back so soon?" she murmured at his retreating back. He didn't answer. 

"He says there was an Imperial Star Destroyer waiting for him there." 

Turning around Leia was suddenly wide awake. Stepping into the freezing room she eyed her father speculatively. He was standing behind his desk, his hands resting lightly on the tabletop. She frowned at him:

"Then they knew?"

"Yes."

"Wait. Wait. You arranged that, am I right?" 

"Indeed." 

"Why?"

"Leia, Gerran was well aware of just what was waiting for him there. That was why he was so reluctant to go. No doubt he would rather have seen you or me leave to walk into Thrawn's little trap."

She took a deep breath: "But you had me clear his name off the list of possible Imperial agents. And you said he was one of yours."

"Yes. The list. I have something for you. This is a file Jix retrieved from the Coruscant mainframe before deleting it." 

He slid a datacard across the desk and Leia quickly put it into the reader of his datapad. She stared at the screen for some time, then looked up at her father:

"So you had the names of the agents all along. Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was no need for you to know and your investigation served as a very effective distraction. I wanted to put the agents on edge."

Leia let that pass for the moment and removed the datacard again:

"But Gerran. He is your aide! What do you tell him?"

"Everything he needs to know."

"Who does he answer to?"

"Guess."

"Grand Admiral Thrawn."

"Exactly."

"Then he knows that you are leading our troops?"

"By now he probably does."

"I do not understand. Why?"

"It is quite easy once you think about it."

Leia's eyes narrowed suspiciously: "He will want revenge for the recent attacks on civilian targets and for the rebellion on Chandrilea."

"Yes, definitely."

"He knows where we are and he will try to catch you off-guard."

"Well, I am sure he has realized by now that this is nearly impossible."

"But he will attack Hoth."

"Yes, that he will. And I am putting you in charge of this operation."

Leia smiled at her father slowly: "Thank you for your trust in my abilities.And what have you planned?"

"Our Star Destroyers will attack Reecee, Corulag and Kuat at the same time Thrawn arrives here."

"Those worlds are on the Inner Rim."

"Yes."

"Too close to Coruscant."

"Definitely."

Leia smiled: "I see. This is my test, am I right?" 

He simply nodded. The Princess closed her eyes gently and let the possibilities pass across her inner eye. Remembered her lessons and her defeats. Attack where no attack is expected and defend where no defense is expected. Finally she looked at her father again: 

"I have a plan."

"Tell me."

"We will evacuate everyone to the cruisers. Once the Imperial Fleet arrives half of our ships will engage them, faking surprise. We will retreat. They will search the base eventually," she waved the datacard in her hand. "They will only find this. And the people fitting those names."

"Including Gerran?" Anakin asked with a smile.

"No. I think you have other plans for him."

This time he laughed out loud: "Excellent, Leia. You passed the theory. Now let us see you in action."

Luke frowned deeply at the sounds echoing down the hallway outside. A scream. A holler. Another scream. An unidentifiable humming noise. There was definitely something going on out there. When the door to his cell crashed open he jumped nevertheless. Noone was there.Rising slowly he took a few steps towards the gaping hole named freedom. And hesitated. Was it a trap of some sort? Leaning against the doorframe he risked a cautious glance outside. The corridor was littered with bleeding, broken bodies. 

"Are you coming or what?" an angry female voice hissed at him. For a second Luke hoped that it was Mara, but the woman suddenly appearing out of the shadows was a complete stranger to him. Her yellow glowing eyes were the first thing he noticed about her. The second was the red lightsabre in her hands. He frowned at it, then raised his bound hands wordlessly. With a grunt she broke the cuffs with her blade and grabbed his arm brutally. "Come on, we don't have much time." 

Running with her Luke did not permit himself any questions. She wanted to get him out of here and since that coincided very much with his own wishes that was enough for now. Everything else could wait. Leading him through the maze of hallways in the complex she seemed completely focused. Suddenly she stopped and whipped out an arm, pressing Luke against the wall. He kept silent. For a while they stood like that, frozen in place, until she let go of him and slipped around the next corner. 

Finally they stood underneath blue sky. Luke smiled. The nameless woman growled at him, then pushed him forward. The building they had just left stood at the edge of a pretty big town, Luke noticed. And there were at least twenty storm troopers coming their way. Hunting around for the next best hiding place Luke's gaze fell on the distant forest. And then the shooting started. A cinnamon hand grabbed his neck brutally and pushed him down. Standing over him the woman raised her lightsabre, grim determination painting her beautiful tattooed face. 

"You cannot-" Luke tried to warn her, but then she picked off the first laser bolt screaming at them with her glowing blade, directing it back at the advancing troopers. Then another and another. Luke gaped in awe. When they were too close for defensive action she held out a hand, palm outward and concentrated visibly. He could almost hear the wind rushing past as a wall of air hit the attackers with crushing force. When she sank to her haunches next to him, sweat beading her forehead and her hands shaking, Luke frowned at her: 

"How did you do that?" 

She threw him a mirthless smile: "It takes a master to teach you that trick." 

"Your master perhaps?" 

She shook her head, laughing: "I follow no master, not anymore." 

"Really? That was very impressive. I think I would like to learn that too. By the way, I am Luke. What is your name?"

"My name, Luke, is Nuron." Holding out a hand she helped him rise. "Come, we have to go. They will be searching for us soon."

Throwing a last look back at the fortress, Luke shook his head: "I don't even know the name of this planet."

"It is called Myrk," Nuron told him calmly and started walking towards the forest, "And it is quite deadly. So you better stay close to me."

"Wait. Did my father send you?"

She turned her head back to smile at him: "Yes, he did."

"Funny. He never mentioned you."

"Well, he never mentioned _you_ either," she retorted and arched her eyebrows coolly. 

"Really?" Luke replied with a smile, "And here I thought that having a Jedi Knight as son would be any father's pride and joy."

When he saw her face darken suddenly Luke knew that she had lied. Whoever had sent her 

was apparently playing his or her own game. And for now, if he wanted to stay alive and in one piece, he had no choice but to play along. 

TBC

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=92633
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=97082
   [3]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=108493



	5. To Court the Enemy

The Art of War   
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

Special thanks to the usual suspects. Links to the last four parts: [Part 1][1], [Part 2][2], [Part 3][3], [Part 4][4].

Part 5: To Court the Enemy 

Stumbling after his rescuer, Luke kept his eyes fixed on the back of her neck. She was striding towards the forest purposefully, and apparently she just assumed that Luke would follow her. "Wait!" he called suddenly. She stopped and turned to face him immediately, her yellow eyes piercing into his head. 

"What is it now?" 

Luke shrugged: "We need a ship to get off this planet." 

"Indeed," she commented dryly. "I never would have guessed." 

Shaking her head slightly she resumed stalking towards the treeline. For now Luke had to assume that she knew what she was doing. And he also had to keep in mind that she was the one who held a lightsaber in her left hand. Throwing a last glance back at the city he slipped after her to vanish into the undergrowth. 

They had walked for maybe four hours, during which they exchanged hardly a word. Luke felt tired and drained. The strange sensation had not vanished since they had left the prison complex and for a while he wondered if he would ever feel the Force again. And wondering what exactly Nuron was planning to do with him. But then, suddenly, her head came up sharply and her eyes narrowed. Raising her lightsaber she activated the blade. Its low hum was, for a moment, the only sound permeating the silence of the forest. She moved forward suddenly, then whirled around in a graceful circle. As her red blade came screaming towards him, Luke reacted instantly and dropped back. Somehow he had known that it would come to this. Whoever had sent her here had ordered her to kill him. 

Pressing his lips together grimly he threw himself to the left, seeking to evade her next stroke, but it never came. Instead he could hear a hoarse growl and when he turned around his eyes widened in surprise. Nuron was facing a tall four-legged creature baring its slavering fangs at her. Its gray coat made it nearly invisible against the dense foliage and Luke watched it stalk forward cautiously, its long, muscular tail slashing at the young trees and bushes around like a whip. Nuron was talking to the beast softly, a strange smile on her lips. Luke could not hear what she was saying, but he did not really care. Picking himself up he was unsure of what to do. But Nuron took the decision from him by moving towards the creature in a lightning-quick move, taking its head clean off. Laughing in delight she let her blade circle in a graceful arc before she shut it down again. 

Then she turned to fix her yellow predator eyes on Luke: "They usually don't hunt in packs. So we should be safe for now." When he hesitated to come closer she smiled at him broadly, revealing a row of sharp teeth: 

"Afraid, Jedi?" He shook his head slowly. 

"No," he told her finally. "What is that?" 

Nuron frowned at the carcass: "This is a Vornskyr. They are the biggest predators on this planet and they hunt with the Force." 

"The Force? I can't even feel it!" 

"How unfortunate. You see, some species on this planet have developed a defense against the Vornskyr. They create bubbles that negate the Force. The forest is their home. They are called Ysalamiri. Pretty nasty." 

"You know a lot about this planet." 

"Well, it's were I grew up," she replied flippantly and grabbed the dead animal's body with both hands and threw it over her shoulder easily. "Come," she ordered gruffly," pointing towards the slowly setting sun over the treetops. "We will have to make camp soon." Then she strode off briskly without looking back. 

Luke ran to catch up with her. Panting loudly he reached out to get hold of her sleeve to stop her but thought better of it when she threw him a glowering stare. "Back there I thought you wanted to kill me," he explained, trying to read the look in her eyes. 

Nuron shook her head slightly: "My orders were not to kill you. I will take you to a safe place. That is, if you agree," she added with a mocking smile. 

"Sure," he answered lightly. "And where are we going now?" 

She shrugged: "I am hungry. We are going to find some water." 

Luke frowned at the headless carcass hanging across her back. "And eat that?" he asked, shuddering inwardly. Nuron simply laughed. 

They found a small creek not far away and she produced a sharp knife from under her tunic and started skinning the animal expertly. Luke paled visibly. But since her opinion of him did not seem to be very high anyway, he decided that turning away now would not gain him her respect. So he resorted to studying her face more closely while she worked in deep concentration. For the first time he noticed the small knobs raised under the skin of her forehead, half-concealed by her short black hair which barely came down to cover her ears. There were three he could make out, one each above the outer corner of her eyes and a single one above the bridge of her nose. To Luke they seemed to be something like premature horns. Which led to the question of age. She did look young, but her behavior was more befitting for a battle-seasoned warrior. And she was that too, he decided, remembering how she had dispatched the storm troopers in the prison and outside easily. 

Finally she noticed his eyes on her and looked up calmly. "See anything you don't like?" she asked lightly, but Luke could not but notice the unspoken challenge in her tone. He smiled at her soothingly: 

"No, not at all. You said my father sent you." 

She gave him a long hard stare before replying: "You said that you are training to become a Jedi Knight." He nodded. "Why? Did your father not instruct you?" 

Luke shook his head carefully: "He has been busy." 

Nuron grunted an acknowledgement, but kept silent. Apparently she did not want to talk about this subject anymore. Sighing, Luke sat down beside her. He had noticed right away that his being a Jedi disturbed her mightily. And he could easily guess at the reason for that: his father was the Dark Lord of the Sith. And from what she had just said Luke concluded that Nuron had served under him for some time. He had taught her, that much seemed clear. But it must seem fairly strange that his own son was not following his father's path. 

He watched in silent awe as Nuron gathered the bloody skin and filled it with water from the creek and made it boil to cook two chunks of red meat for dinner. She was using the Force with such ease that he felt himself becoming envious of her. Which was nonsense. She was employing the Dark Side, after all. Not that he did not appreciate that in his current situation, Luke admitted to himself as his mouth watered at the delicious smell wafting out of the make-shift sack Nuron held in both hands. 

She smiled at his hungry face, then handed him his assigned portion gracefully, laughing when he burned his fingers on the hot meat. They ate in silence and Luke tried to forget just what it was they were eating. Not that it mattered. He was ravenous. Finally, sitting peacefully under the safe canopy of the trees surrounding them, with night already fallen and stars twinkling above their heads, Luke found himself miles away from their perilous situation. But not for long. 

Nuron rose suddenly and stared into the distance in alarm. "We have to go," she whispered and jumped over the creek easily. Still without the Force Luke splashed after her and then they jogged along an unseen trail through the forest. Unseen by him, that was. Nuron herself seemed completely at ease and he could only guess that her night-vision was excellent, as befit a predatory species. But it was not long after they had left their resting place that he too could hear the distant roar of hovercraft thundering through the trees. At his side Nuron growled softly. "They have found my ship," she explained grimly and picked up her pace. 

Racing through the night Luke had a hard time keeping up with her. He was constantly slapping branches out of his way that she dodged gracefully, guided by the Force. Once or twice he stumbled and even fell, and was surprised to find that she always waited for him. 

"Don't try to feel the Force," she hissed finally when she helped him up yet again. "Focus inward." Luke nodded sharply and concentrated. Nothing happened. Nuron looked down at him accusingly: "I just know you can do it. You have the potential." 

He shrugged, then tried again. This time he felt an inkling of the Force and pushed deeper. In the end he managed to feel something, although it was very meager compared to what he usually did experience when opening himself to the Force. "But it is enough," Nuron told him with a satisfied smile and turned away. Indeed it was. Running side by side they both dropped to the ground simultaneously just before reaching the small clearing she had landed her ship in. Searchlights were tracking the whole area and reflected off white storm trooper armor everywhere. Hefting her lightsaber Nuron gave Luke a grim smile: "I take it you are a good pilot?" He nodded. "Good. I will distract them. You power up the ship." And then she was gone and the shooting started. 

Walking the quiet hallways of the Relentless thoughtfully Captain Piett shook his head slightly. He still could not believe that the Dark Lord was alive. And not only that, he was working with the Rebels. And just that fact let him regret not having heeded Needa's words when they had talked about the secret meeting on Dantooine. Piett knew very well that he was the only one of Needa's friends who had remained with the Navy. But he had had his reasons. And they were still valid. Especially now. 

Lorth's capture and Mara Jade's arrival had made no sense to him so far, but now he was pretty sure that he knew what the Sith was planning. For nearly ten years he had worked with Darth Vader and the Dark Lord had taught him not only his way of strategic thinking, but also what Piett had come to think of as his code of honor. Astounding as it was, the Sith did have such a thing. At least this one. The highest priority was the well-being of the people. But Vader clearly distinguished between civilians and soldiers. Soldiers, he had told Piett once, entered the realm of death the moment they signed up to serve an army. From then on they were merely pawns in the battle-master's game. They did not count as people anymore. 

On the other hand the soldiers marked for death did not necessarily need to fall victim to it. The art of war, Vader had explained to Piett, was to maneuver your enemy into, to put it bluntly, defeating himself. And that was exactly what he was doing with Thrawn. He did not seek grand battles in space or on the ground. And not because he was afraid of Thrawn's supposedly superior skills. But because he had the skills to play this game successfully and because he wanted to keep his losses minimal. Studying the events following the Emperor's death Piett had noticed only a handful of names of the people instrumental to the Rebels' successes: Wrenga Jixton, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa and Lorth Needa. And Vader's son, Luke Skywalker. But he did not seem important to the game. Else the Dark Lord would never have let him become captured. Then maybe he would. 

Piett smiled to himself as he punched the door-lock to his quarters aboard the Relentless. There was no way to foresee the Dark Lord's tactics, but he thought that he had a very good idea of his general strategy. He had made a very subtle offer to the Grand Admiral and Thrawn's choice would determine his answer. Stepping into the neat room, Piett took a quick look around before closing the door. After all, he had to be careful. 

Apparently he had not been careful enough. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn was standing at the viewport, looking out at the starlines that hyperspace painted across the plasteel window. For a moment Piett hesitated. Did he know what kind of thoughts his second was harboring? 

"Ah, Captain Piett," Thrawn said suddenly, as if the Captain's presence in his own quarters were surprising in any way. 

"Sir?" 

"Lorth Needa is a friend of yours." 

"Yes." 

"And you are not disturbed by his presence on this ship?" 

"No, sir. I know my duties." 

"Very good. Do not forget this, Captain. We will reach Hoth in three days approximately. 

Do you think that Lord Vader is waiting for us there?" 

"Probably." 

"I am certain that he will. The whole purpose of this exercise was to draw us into his chosen battle-ground, don't you think?" 

Piett remained silent. 

"I see that I did well in taking you as my second, Captain," Thrawn purred pleasantly.

"Tell me what you think will happen." 

Turning around to face Piett the Grand Admiral regarded him with glowing eyes. And Piett knew that his answer would determine his own survival. So he chose his words very carefully: 

"I believe that you are going to Hoth to take him up on his offer." 

"Ah. Still the idealist, I see. No. I will not take that offer. Not until I have verified its sincerity." 

Piett bowed his head slightly. 

"You do not approve, Captain?" 

"Well, sir, in the past Lord Vader has always stuck to his word." 

"True. But words have not been exchanged so far. When it comes to that I will have an answer for the Dark Lord. Until then though the game will continue. Speaking of which, how is the team on Tatooine proceeding?" 

Piett was slightly surprised by the sudden turn this conversation was taking: 

"They have found nothing so far." 

"Interesting. I wonder where she has vanished to." 

Leaving his place at the viewport Thrawn walked past Piett and waited for the door to open: 

"Another thing, Captain, that I believe you should know: in a game there are always two players. But only one dictates the rules." 

"Yes, sir," Piett answered quietly and frowned a bit after the Grand Admiral had finally left for good. 

So. Thrawn had seen the Dark Lord's intentions too. For Vader Thrawn was a possible, if unwilling, ally for the time being. At least that was what the Captain believed. The Chandrilean operation and the attacks on peaceful worlds had shown the Grand Admiral that it was a very easy feat for the Sith to isolate his opponent and deny him Coruscant's support. Thrawn knew that he had to move very carefully now if he wanted to maintain the trust the government had set in him. By sending Gerran to Pakrat Minor Vader had made it clear to Thrawn that he knew what game he was playing at. On the other hand it could just as well have been plain arrogance. Knowing the Dark Lord it was probably both. And knowing Thrawn, the Grand Admiral was only waiting for his chance to wrestle the control out of Vader's grasp. This promised to become very interesting indeed. But to verify his suspicions it was paramount that he speak with an old friend. And soon.   


Blinking swollen eyelids Lorth Needa heaved a tiny sigh, but the breathing hurt against his broken ribs. Thrawn's interrogators really had done a good job on him, he thought grimly and shook his head. But when he started to rise a hand gently pushed him back. "Keep still," a familiar voice ordered him quietly. Piett was bent over him, his mouth set in a grim line, then sat down beside him, watching. Although they had been friends for quite a long time Needa could not shed the distrust he reserved for anyone who had remained behind when he had called the Navy to join the Rebellion. Many had followed his call, but Piett had not, and that was after all what mattered right now. And Lord Vader's plan. 

"Did you know that he would let you get captured deliberately?" Piett asked suddenly. 

Needa sneered at him coldly: "That was entirely my own decision." 

For a moment Piett looked nonplussed. But his apparent confusion did not last long: 

"Your own decision? But I was under the impression that this is some sort of message for Thrawn. And the Grand Admiral seems to believe the same thing." 

"Lord Vader told you?" 

"No." Piett answered with a tiny smile. "But he told Thrawn. Who was not very pleased." 

"I see." 

"He is playing with him." 

"With everyone," Needa replied coldly. 

Who did Piett think he was? A fool who did not recognize an interrogation like the one he was conducting on Needa now? The other Captain sighed.

"He is using you as a means to communicate with the Grand Admiral without the Rebels knowing. 

Thrawn tried to trap his mind, but failed. Fortunately." 

"He did what?" 

"There was a Star Destroyer waiting for you at Pakrat Minor. We knew your route and Lord Vader knew that we had a spy with the Alliance." 

Piett looked at him expectantly, but Needa did not answer. Before he continued he threw a long, hard glance at the surveillance camera installed in the opposite corner. Finally he shook his head: 

"This isn't working out the way I had planned it, Lorth." 

"You too?" Needa asked sarcastically. 

"You what?" 

"Everyone seems to have some grand scheme. Well, I don't. I am just doing what I think is right. And you should too." 

"That is exactly what I am doing, believe me. Rest now. You will need it." 

Rising gracefully Piett threw one last glance at the prisoner and vanished again. For a long time Needa simply stared blankly at the door. Finally he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. 

It was, of course, entirely possible that Lord Vader had planned for him to be captured. And then the truth of what Piett was implying hit him: that Lord Vader was deliberately playing into Thrawn's hand. That he was betraying the Rebels. A small laugh escaped his mouth as he turned on his back. If the Grand Admiral believed that he was a fool. Sobering again he heaved a tiny sigh. Thrawn was not stupid, far from it. And he would find some way to make the Dark Lord pay for the misery he had caused the Grand Admiral so far. 

  
  
  
"An evacuation?" Mon Mothma asked, aghast, as her eyes wandered from the Dark Lord to Leia and back. "But why?" 

Folding his hands on his back Anakin Skywalker smiled pleasantly: "From the beginning we knew that it was only a matter of time until the Imperials would discover our hiding-place. And now my sources have confirmed an impending attack. We should leave as soon as we can." 

The rebel leader frowned at him. 

"What alternative base do you suggest?" 

His smile deepened: 

"I was thinking of Coruscant." 

"Coruscant!" 

"Well, not at once, of course, but it should be our next goal." 

"How?" 

"The Grand Admiral is leading the attack personally. And as you know, Han Solo is on his way with Page's special units to infiltrate the capital." 

"Yes." 

"They will be waiting for our sign there. And when the time is right we can dispatch Thrawn and the government at the same time." 

"Knowing you, Lord Vader, you will not give me any details at this point." 

"Exactly." 

"Well, I only hope that it will work." 

"It will, do not worry." 

"Thank you. I know you are busy, and I would like to talk to Leia for a while. If you would excuse us?" 

Slightly taken aback, he gave her a faint smile and frowned at the Princess. But the look in Mothma's eyes unmistakingly excluded him from the following conversation. This was not to his liking at all. But he had no choice. Nodding at the rebel leader, Anakin turned on his heels and left, frowning as the door slid close behind him. To his surprise Jix was waiting for him outside. The agent fell in step beside him as he started walking towards the North hangar to take the next shuttle up aboard the Liberty for his daily round. Jix was uncharacteristically silent and Anakin could feel that something was worrying him. Finally he decided to goad the Corellian into telling him the whole story: 

"Have you made any progress in finding the Executor?" 

"My contacts are working on it." 

"Good. Any leads?" 

"Obviously they will keep her at some drive yard. They are checking the major ones." 

"I see." 

Walking in silence some more Jix shifted his shoulders uncomfortably: 

"Have you heard anything from Mara?" he asked finally. 

For a split-second Anakin's thoughts were drawn into two opposite directions: he could either soothe the agent or tell him the truth. Or at least part of it. 

"I have lost contact with her some time ago." 

"What?" 

"I cannot feel her anymore." 

"If anything happened to her -" 

"She is alright, I am sure." 

"This is some kind of test for her, am I right?" 

"Yes," the Dark Lord admitted, surprised. "You see, right now she is very unsettled, disturbed. She does not know where she belongs. She left the Empire to join us, but then she began doubting me. Thrawn is a warlord too, but his methods are different from mine. We shall see how she fares under his command." 

"Then you do not care what side she is on?" 

"When the time comes she will make the right choice, Jix. I have no doubt about that." 

"Tell me this one thing, your lordship," Jix began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "You are testing each and everyone of us in some way. Right? But how about you? I wonder." 

"If I am testing myself the way I am testing you?" 

"Yes." 

Taking a deep breath Anakin stopped himself short and closed his eyes for a second. When he turned to look down at Jix again the agent was intently studying his face and again the Dark Lord noticed how earnest he had become over the past week. And he decided that he had liked the old Jix better: 

"I have been on trial ever since I decided to betray the Emperor. And long before that. Or to out it more bluntly: I am playing this game not as much against Thrawn, but against myself." 

A sudden grin lit up Jix' face: 

"Who is winning?"   


Leia watched her father leave with mixed feelings. So far he had always taken the lead, guiding her through the lessons, but apparently this time she would be truly all on her own. She had no idea what Mon Mothma wanted to talk to her about. Turning her head to face the Alliance leader again she threw the other woman a timid smile. But Mothma did not return it. 

"Leia, I am concerned about you. You are spending a lot of time with Lord Vader. And although I understand that he has saved your life and that this might form the basis for a friendship, I would much rather not have you two become this close." 

Leia felt her mouth drop open in utter amazement.

"Why?" she managed finally. 

Folding her hands neatly on the top of her desk Mon Mothma heaved a deep sigh: 

"Leia, despite everything Lord Vader is doing for us it is entirely possible that he will not survive." 

"You cannot be serious." 

"He knew that from the beginning. And I thought that you did too." 

Leia felt her mouth become dry. Of course she remembered that discussion between her father and the Alliance High Command, when Mon Mothma had asked if he would stand trial after the war was over. But no decision had been made back then. Why did she bring up the whole matter now? 

"I do not understand your motivation, though," she began carefully, feeling numb. "Either you do not trust him or else you are unwilling to admit to the public that Darth Vader is not the monster you have declared him to be." 

The other woman's face hardened.

"I will be honest with you: it is both. We cannot build a new government on this foundation. The people need to know that the good side has won, that the monster is defeated, if you will. It is politics. Something you seem to have forgotten over the past months. Tell me, Leia, what are you two talking about?" 

"Strategy, tactics. Other things." 

Mon Mothma blinked heavy eyelids tiredly: "Do you know what we see you become Leia? A Sith apprentice. And we cannot sanction that." 

Feeling her throat tighten, threatening to suffocate he, Leia balled her hands into fists in a vain effort to control her fury and the feeling of deep humiliation. 

"Then it is me you do not trust?" 

"We trust you, Leia. But Lord Vader is who he is. He is toying with you. Don't you see that?" 

Rising slowly Leia shook her head vehemently, wishing she could just tell Mon Mothma that _her father_ was apparently the only honest and upright commander with the Alliance. Someone who did not resort to petty squabbling or fights for dominance. He did not have to. Maybe the Alliance Command would do well in trying to determine why he had gained an easy authority with the troops they themselves seemed to have forgone for the sake of politics. 

"I am sorry for disappointing you like this, Mon Mothma," she said instead, her voice cold. 

"Please, Leia. I did not mean to insult you. Simply take this as a friendly warning and think about what I have told you." 

"I will. Most certainly." 

"Another thing, Leia. Do not talk about our misgivings with Lord Vader. And that is an order." 

"How unfortunate that you are no longer in command of our troops," the Princess could not stop herself from telling the older woman. Mon Mothma stared at her, disbelieving. 

"Leia!" 

"Surprised? It is the simple truth. And politics cannot change it. I just hope that in time you will see the error of your assumption." 

Turning around sharply Leia stormed out of the door, fuming.   


The atmosphere inside the Hoth base was charged, to say the least. Word had gotten out about the Alliance Command's doubts in their battle commander and now Alliance and ex-Imperial troops were discussing the whole affair most lively aboard the ships, in the base canteens and command centers. 

Leia missed the presence of Captain Needa dearly. He had always been able to mediate between the fractions, something her father did not seem to care about. But she had started this and she would play it to the end. After all, Mon Mothma had been partly right in claiming that she was becoming the Dark Lord's apprentice. 

Right now she was standing in his office, waiting for him patiently. She had not talked to him about her intentions beforehand and she was excited to see what he would say to it. When the door finally opened his face bore an angry frown. Leia rose to greet him with a smile. Propping his fists 

on his hips he glared down at her, obviously displeased.

"What have you been thinking, upsetting everyone exactly at the wrong moment? If I may remind you, we should concentrate on evacuating the base. Timing, Leia, is crucial, and I have to tell you that you have blundered badly." 

"I only wanted to -" 

"I know what you are trying to accomplish, Leia, and in any other situation I would have been highly pleased with your efforts. But this whole affair is playing against my own time-frame and, more importantly, it was tipped off by your lack of control. Emotions, child, have no place in warfare." 

Leia hung her head, chastised: "I am sorry." 

"Well, you are learning. And this is not too bad. In fact I was planning on something similar. 

So you see, you anticipated me. Which is very good in itself. Just not now." 

"Why were _you_ planning on that happening?" 

"Politics. The Alliance needs to disassociate itself with me. I have to plead my own case when the time comes." 

"Not you too!" Leia exclaimed. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Mon Mothma told me the same." 

"Ah. So that was it. I see. Good. Very good. That saves me a lot of effort." 

"You are not angry at me then?" 

"I am. But I cannot change what you have done. And I have to accept it." 

"Another lesson for me?" 

"Yes. Emotion is all good and well and a testimony to your being human. But you have to play with your opponents' emotions and not let them play with yours." 

"Is that the Jedi or the Sith speaking?" 

"Just experience. Nothing more," he told her with a smile. "Now let's see to it that we can get the evacuation under way."   


The bridge of the Liberty was crowded with the members of the Alliance Command, but none of them seemed overtly interested in what was going on around the planet. Instead they were watching the Dark Lord standing at the command chair suspiciously. He could feel their eyes on him, or rather, on Leia, and knew immediately that something else was going on. She seemed nervous and defiant at the same time. 

Standing side by side father and daughter were alternately studying either the sensor displays or the viewport. The last shuttles and transports were leaving the planet's surface and it was about time, Anakin thought grimly, moments before the Imperial fleet reverted into real-space. Five Star Destroyers, just as he had expected. Leia threw him a quick smile. She would take over now and he would follow her orders even if they were nonsense. If things went too bad, he could always interfere. But Anakin sincerely hoped that it would not come to that. If Thrawn gained the advantage in this battle too early and easily, they might as well surrender. 

"Ion control, open fire on the enemy," Leia whispered quietly, for his ears only, and Anakin bent over towards the captain, smiling at him: 

"Captain Ergh, please have ion control open fire." 

"Rogue and Red Squadron are to make a run across the Star Destroyers. And move Transport 5 closer to its comrades." 

This time her excitement made Leia raise her voice slightly and Anakin cringed inwardly when he felt the Alliance leaders' sudden interest and growing uneasiness. They had heard her. And apparently the captain had too. He gave the Dark Lord a quizzical look and bent over his comm station to issue the Princess' orders without waiting for his superior's command to do so. Staring straight ahead, Anakin for a second wished that he could make all of this undone, that he could play this game alone. Leia had clearly kept silent about something Mothma had told her. And now it was coming back to haunt her. He could feel her becoming more and more nervous with each passing moment. 

"Captain," he said suddenly in a low, icy voice. Ergh raised his head slowly, giving him a look of surprise. Stepping up smartly Anakin smiled down at the man coldly: "You will wait until I give the word to proceed, is that clear?" The captain paled visibly and nodded once: 

"Clear, sir." 

"Good," Anakin purred softly and turned around to face the Alliance commanders assembled at the far end of the upper bridge, not five paces away. Mon Mothma was studying him with calculation plain on her face. At her side Generals Rieekan and Dodonna both wore grim faces. 

Baring his teeth in what might have been a smile Anakin faced them down and his next words were for each and everyone present on the warship's bridge: 

"Give them the impression of being cautious and they will be sure that you will strike at any time. Your move?" 

"Group Red will retreat behind the second moon," Leia explained, her voice tense. 

"Will he take the bait?" 

"I believe not." 

"Why?" 

"He will be expecting a sneak attack. He knows that half of our ships are missing in the fleet array. So he will stay with the planet to prepare against it." 

"Good. And what will you do then?" 

"We will pull out in good order, but fake unwillingness to leave." 

"Your troops are awaiting your orders. Make your move." 

Turning back to Leia he saw her straighten and hold her head up high. The Princess gave him a sharp nod and bent down to study her display. When she spoke she was all business again: 

"Captain Ergh, please order Group Red to retreat. And confirm the position of our ground troops." 

"Position confirmed, Princess Leia. Group Red is on its way." 

"Thank you, Captain," Leia told him with a smile and the look in her dark eyes was one of calm competence. Ergh's gaze lingered awhile on her face before he returned the smile with a thanks of his own. And Anakin knew that Leia had won. Joining the Alliance commanders, he kept his eyes fixed on his daughter, ignoring Mon Mothma's accusing glare completely. 

But she had failed to take her chance. By keeping silent she had sanctioned Leia's rise to command. There would be some nasty words, of course, but later, safe from prying eyes and ears. "You will pay for this," she hissed at last and Anakin could feel the hatred burning in her mind. His lips twitched in silent amusement. But he did not answer. The Alliance Command would take a long time to recover from this blow, if they ever did. Leia was a natural leader, much more so than any of them. And Mon Mothma could see that too, plain in the eyes of the bridge officers and in Captain Ergh's pleased smile. She knew that the Dark Lord, although unaware of the reasons, had felt the growing rift between the Princess and the rest of the Alliance leaders. And with one stroke he had rid them of their command and authority. He would pay alright, Anakin knew, but not now. Not as long as Thrawn still posed a threat. 

And by then the Alliance would not be his concern anymore.   


Grand Admiral Thrawn watched the rebel fleet's cautious retreat with interest. Finally he raised his head to turn glowing red eyes on Captain Piett, who stood nervously beside him. 

"Captain." 

"Yes, sir?" 

"It does not seem as if he took any interest in our being here. So much for his offer." 

"I am not sure, sir, if -" 

"Well, I am sure. Inform General Flarek that he is to deploy his troops. We are moving into the base. And I want you to turn the Death's Head and the Chimaera at the fourth moon. It makes for a perfect hiding place." 

"Yes, sir." 

"You see, there are no Imperial ships with this fleet. Either they are on a different deployment or else they have set an ambush." 

"We will be prepared for that." 

"Yes. You have your orders, Captain. Carry them out." 

Moving over to the comm officer to issue the Grand Admiral's order Piett could not hide his agitation. He had been so convinced that something important was going to happen here. But apparently his assumption had been wrong. He had either under- or overestimated the Dark Lord. And right now he was not sure which possibility was worse. 

One by one the rebel ships were pulling out of the system and if they still wanted to try a sneak attack they had better make their move. Staring at the sensor displays Captain Piett felt his shoulders tense. Willing himself to relax, he risked a glance over at the command chair. The Grand Admiral was pensively studying the two fleets' layout, then stood abruptly.

"How are our ground troops proceeding?" 

"They are on their way. Resistance is not too heavy." 

"Of course not." 

"Sir?" 

The comm beeped at Piett urgently. He answered the call. "This is Captain Piett of the Imperial Star Destroyer Relentless." 

Listening intently to the words of the flustered sergeant at the other end of the line, Piett felt a frown form on his forehead. Holding the connection he turned towards Thrawn: 

"Sir, apparently there have been renewed attacks. Imperial Star Destroyers supposedly attacked Reecee, Corulag and Kuat. Kuat has been badly hit." 

Thrawn merely inclined his head, then closed his eyes for a moment. 

Another light on the comm panel began blinking, insisting on being noticed. Piett again took the call, already expecting the worst. "Sir. Luke Skywalker has escaped detention on Myrk." 

His red eyes snapping open suddenly the Grand Admiral fixed Piett with an intent glare: 

"Who freed him?" 

"The survivors claim that one person entered the complex and wiped out most of the troops stationed there. There is also talk about a lightsaber being involved. A red one," he added, frowning at the comm doubtfully. 

"Interesting," Thrawn mused aloud, his eyes narrowing, and turned away to watch the last rebel ships wink out of realspace. 

"Sir?" 

"Clearly they were expecting us. But Lord Vader would have attacked, using his advantage to the fullest." 

"Yes, definitely." 

"The Rebels do not trust him. My guess is that they forced him to order the retreat." 

"Forced him?" Piett asked, bewildered. 

Looking back over his shoulder Thrawn smiled at him: 

"It does sound ridiculous, doesn't it? But for now I can see no other answer to this sort of action. Very well. When the base is secured I will want to inspect it." 

"Sir?" 

"He is looking for allies and I am sure he has left a message for me. Don't you think?"   


Tailor-seated on the black cloak Chi'in had laid out for her, Amidala was watching Cronn's training session with interest. The Falleen had a hard time standing against his master though. They had chosen the edge of the valley, where the terrain was rougher and more treacherous. And Cronn was suffering dearly. This was already the second round he had lost in hand-to-hand combat. Although he did try to keep track of Chi'in the short alien moved much faster than he did. To Amidala's eyes he was no more than a blur. Finally the master called a break and conversed with his apprentice in hushed tones. At Amidala's side Puket was making a face. She clearly would have preferred hearing the teacher's words too. She was after all next in line for the training. 

When the Twi'lek suddenly threw a glance back and rose gracefully to move away a few meters Amidala knew that someone was approaching. And from Puket's behavior she concluded that it was a Council member. And indeed, Roj Kell himself came to a halt next to the still seated queen, studying the three warriors one by one. Chi'in acknowledged the Sith Lord's presence with a curt nod while both apprentices bowed deeply. "My lady, would you allow me to join you?" Roj Kell asked smoothly and sat down without waiting for her answer. She threw him a cool glance and turned her head back to face the combatants 

"How are you today?" he asked lightly, turning towards her. 

"I am fine, thank you." 

"I am glad to hear it." 

"Are you now." 

"You doubt my sincerity?" 

"How could I not, Lord Kell? Am I not a prisoner?" 

He laughed at that. It was a low, soft laughter, designed to make her feel at ease. She didn't buy it though. Instead she changed the subject: 

"Do you think it would be improper for me to ask Chi'in his species? I have never seen his kind before." 

"I would not know about 'improper' or not, my lady. I am a Sith, after all," Roj Kell told her, turning the sharp point of her previous comment right back at her. Amidala gave him a tiny smile.

"That did not answer my question." 

"Then let me answer it for you," he sighed. "Chi'in is a Noghri. A primitive people, hunters of origin and farmers now." 

"What happened?" 

"During the Clone Wars a battleship dropped into their home planet. They had never seen one before, but when the Republic troops arrived on the planet they immediately identified them as a threat. Such is the way of the Noghri. Luckily Lord Vader was with the soldiers and he saw the aliens' potential right away. He promised them help and they accepted gladly. Actually some of them believed your husband to be some kind of god." Kell smiled at that. "And they have been useful to the Empire ever since. Effective killers, all of them." 

"Help?" Amidala inquired politely, sensing that there was more to the story. 

"You see, the ship was completely ripped apart and its coolants contaminated part of the planet. The Empire later made sure that nothing could grow there anymore, while still pretending only to have the Noghri's best interests in mind. This way they could keep them in their service." 

"Does Chi'in know that?" 

"If he did, he still would not care. He is a Sith and his vows are to us, not to his people. Lord Vader has trained him well." 

"What about the others? Cronn and Puket." 

"Cronn is a Falleen. You know that their planet had to be put under permanent quarantine after a deadly virus escaped the Imperial laboratories there? One of your husband's many pet projects. He is equally fascinated with life and machinery, if only the results are deadly." 

"Yes," Amidala admitted between clenched teeth. 

"And Puket, well, she was a slave when Lord Vader found her. You know that the Twi'lek sell their females to the Hutts as some sort of tribute, don't you? I think he took an interest in her when he was on Nal Hutta." 

"I have heard of that practice." 

But Anakin had always hated the Hutts. And just what kind of interest did Kell mean? Shaking her head slowly Amidala tried to gather her wits. 

"Why? Why them?" she asked finally. 

"Lord Vader claims that they know the prize of failure better than others. In some way all of them know that he has spared their lives and they feel indebted to him. You see, if anyone knows about how to manipulate people's emotions it is your husband. I believe that is what makes him such a brilliant warlord too." 

Amidala kept silent. How far he had come from the wide-eyed innocent and kind boy she had first met on Tatooine. His only objective back then had been to help. Without hesitation he had been willing to risk his young life for her and her people, as he had so many times after. But it was true: he had become obsessed with the power of manipulating others later on. And apparently he enjoyed destroying their lives, making them his own to do with as he pleased. Arrogant, that was what he had become. Arrogant and cruel and greedy for power. Her mouth twisted in distaste at the mere thought of having loved him once. A mistake. The worst she had ever made in her life. But she would not make it again. 

"You said that he is teaching my daughter. Do you have any notion why?" 

Roj Kell merely smiled at her. It was a knowing, almost contemptuous smile and Amidala wanted to kick herself for actually asking that question. Of course she knew why! Leia, sweet Leia, that highly trained diplomat and gifted negotiator would take over the government once the Alliance had won. And Anakin would continue his rule of terror through her, using her as he did anyone else. 

"My son. The Grand Admiral will use him against Lord Vader." 

"He will do no such thing. I have sent Nuron to free him and take him to safety." 

"I -" she began, truly surprised when a sudden wave of emotion broke through her heart and mind, making her feel dizzy. "Thank you," she whispered and meant every word of it. 

"It was nothing," Roj Kell assured her with an easy smile. "I would do anything to help the Lady Vader." 

"Please. Just call me Amidala."   


Mara was in a foul mood when she followed a nameless lieutenant into the Relentless' meeting-room just below the bridge. She had spent most of the trip in her assigned cabin, sensing that Thrawn did not want her around right now, especially not in the attack on Hoth.

He had not commented on her absence on the bridge and so this summoning was all the more surprising. Mara could only guess that the attack had not gone as planned. Under the circumstances that would not really have surprised her. Piett had talked to her about what he thought Vader intended and she had not been sure how to react to his theory. The meeting with Skywalker had done nothing to temper her anger at the Dark Lord. And she could not be certain if Piett's confiding in her was not some just ruse spawned by Thrawn's mounting indignation over being repeatedly deceived by the Sith Lord's cunning. Right now she was trying to keep a balance between the two fronts, but sooner or later she would have to make her choice. 

Squaring her shoulders she stepped into the meeting-room and nodded at the Captain standing to attention next to Thrawn's chair. The Grand Admiral was toying with a datacard, a faint smile on his lips when he looked up to acknowledge Mara's presence.

"Ah, Mara Jade. Please take a seat. You too, Captain." 

They quickly found themselves two chairs in a suitably respectful distance from the admiral who noted this move with apparent satisfaction: 

"My reason for calling you here is simple: you have the greater insight into what has been going on among the Alliance Command so far. And I would like you to confirm some of my suspicions, if that is possible." 

Mara simply nodded, but her eyes flicked towards Piett for a split-second. The Captain did not even look at her. His eyes were focused into the distance and she had the feeling that he was not really listening when Thrawn continued: 

"There have been some frictions between the Rebels and Lord Vader. True or false?" 

"True. Yes. Very true." 

"Over what issues?" 

"His methods, mostly, things he kept secret until too late, dangerous deployments that the Command thought stupid or reckless." 

"How did he react?" 

"The way he always does when confronted with criticism." 

"You mean he killed them?" Thrawn asked in open amusement. Mara blushed, a scowl appearing on her face: 

"No. But he made it clear that he would not accept their objections until the results could speak for themselves. Naturally they always spoke in his favor." 

"But they did put pressure on him?" 

"Increasingly so." 

"How?" 

"I don't know. But he accepted an aide Mon Mothma chose for him." 

"A move that I am sure was well planned. He seemed to know beforehand that Jay Gerran would get that position. My agent. I wonder why." 

Mara gave him a tight smile: "I don't think you ever wonder about anything. You have a suspicion. Care to enlighten me?" 

"Captain Piett has the theory that Lord Vader is looking for allies, and today's battle clearly showed that the Alliance Command does not trust him anymore. Additionally he has left a message in the abandoned base on Hoth. This," he slid the datacard across the table, prompting her to catch it, "is a list of all Imperial agents we had inside the Rebellion." 

"Had?" 

"They died defending a base that was not theirs to defend. All except Jay Gerran. A coincidence?" 

"Hardly." 

"Indeed, Mara Jade. He is leaving the line of communications open, but he will not allow me to dictate the rules. I intend to make him see the futility of this position." 

"And how exactly are you going to accomplish that?" 

"Well. The Rebels' Star Destroyers have attacked Reecee, Corulag and Kuat and the government on Coruscant is concerned. I am sending Captain Piett back to Gyndine with the Chimaera to rally the Core's defenses." 

This time Mara risked an open glance at the man sitting quietly next to her. His lips were pressed together tightly, but he kept silent. Obviously he had known of Thrawn's decision beforehand. 

"He will take Lorth Needa with him to appease the politicians." 

"In what way?" 

"They think I have been to lenient. They want the traitor dead, as an example to the Navy. They fear the military, you see?" 

"And you do not fear for your own position?" 

"No. Captain Needa initiated the defection of a quarter of our troops. When he dies it will be a symbol for the politicians that this threat is gone, but the Navy will take it as a sign that the government wants to control them. They will seek another leader." 

"You?" 

"I daresay that the Imperial Navy has no love for me." 

"Despite your superior skills." 

"This is exactly the same problem Lord Vader is facing right now with the Rebels." 

"And you want to get him back on your side how?" 

"There are ways to convince him of the necessity of working together." 

"But you said that he has offered just that." 

"Yes. Under his command." 

"I see." 

"Lord Vader is a very proud and stubborn man. The Rebels are obviously rejecting him, but he would never ever come back to join us of his own free will. At least not openly." 

"You are proposing to offer him to trap himself? Is that what you are saying?" 

"You have a way with words, Mara Jade, I have to admit that. Straight to the point." 

"How? He did not take the bait even when you captured his son." 

"Another show of pride. I have analyzed the situation. Lord Vader was well aware of this trap, but our experiment with Captain Needa showed clearly that he has not planned on everything. And the bait I intend to use will come as a surprise. I doubt very much that he can afford not to act," Thrawn concluded and Mara did not like the look on his face at all. 

He seemed absolutely confident that this plan would work and again she did not know if he was still testing her. A fact that made the impending decision even more urgent. Yet again her vision flashed before her eyes and Mara groaned inwardly as she understood the full extent of what was being asked of her. Vader could only push his plan through when she acted against him, he had made that much clear. And the fact that she almost felt elated at the prospect of being able to pay him back his cruelties against her frightened the agent even more. This was not Thrawn's test for her, but Vader's. Standing up suddenly and turning towards the Grand Admiral grim-faced, Mara made her choice, vowing to show the Dark Lord that she would not only pass the test but also exceed his expectations by miles. Let the games begin, she thought quietly and forced a smile on her lips:   
  
"Grand Admiral, I know you have had doubts in my loyalty, and I surely cannot blame you for that. I pledge myself under your command and ask you to accept my services fully, with all consequences." 

He gave her a sharp nod and returned the smile, his red eyes lighting up in absolute delight:  
"I accept your offer, Mara Jade. You will not regret it." 

"And neither will you," she could not stop herself from adding. 

He gave her a small laugh that startled her immensely, since it seemed so alien on him. But then, she did not know Thrawn very well. And maybe there was more to him, just as there was more to Lord Vader, than a frighteningly effective warlord. Well. Only time would tell. But her decision had taken a great weight off her shoulders and Mara found that she was almost looking forward to the next step, even though it meant that she would take Piett's place. Shooting the Captain a guilty glance she found him smiling at her weakly. 

"Very good, Mara Jade. You are dismissed. Captain Piett, I would like you to stay for a while. There are some things you need to know to prepare our defenses."   


The Liberty's hallways were quiet and almost peaceful at this time of the artificial day. The ship, along with the rest of the Alliance fleet, was hurtling through hyperspace en route to their next destination, a planet not too far from Coruscant, but too unknown and notorious to be even considered a suitable hiding place for the Rebels: Vjun. Once home to Lord Vader, this fortress retreat was now nothing more than an assembly of empty, deserted buildings. The scout ship under Wrenga Jixton's command had confirmed that noone had remained behind. The most recent traces were that of a retrireview team that had gone through the castle's mainframe in search for any important information the Dark Lord might have harbored there. 

Anakin Skywalker was reviewing his agent's report, a thorough analysis of the still functional defenses and communications devices. Jix had done good work, as he always did, and Vjun would prove a most interesting base. Interesting for the Alliance Command, that was. He knew very well that they did not approve of his choice, but when had they ever approved of anything he did? Not that he cared. Leia had come to him after the retreat from Hoth and had told him what Mon Mothma and her officers feared was happening to her. A Sith apprentice. He smiled at the very thought of that. His daughter was too much of an idealist to ever succumb to the Dark Side. She did believe in doing what was right without hurting anyone, if possible. And although he was taking part of that idealism away from her Anakin knew very well that his daughter was far stronger than he had ever been. 

Which was exactly why he had chosen to teach her and not Luke. She could take his lessons without harm, because she had grown up to be a diplomat. Leia understood the game instinctively without being corrupted by it. And she was independent enough to create her own challenges, the way she had when moving against the Alliance Command. In short, he was very proud of her accomplishments. Leia was learning so fast and eagerly that he could not be but proud. On the other hand the rate at which her skills were improving did alarm him in some ways. He remembered that same eagerness in himself, when he had begun to learn to play. And what it had led to eventually. Well, he would just have to make sure that Leia did not make the mistakes he had. It was that simple. If only everything else were that easy too.   


The landing on Vjun did take some time and the steady stream of troop carriers and supply shuttles began the task of bringing back life into the great fortress that was Bast Castle. Out on inspection Leia was walking the huge corridors at her father's side and had grown rather timid as her feel for the place deepened. Shuddering she closed down her perception to the normal human level, trying to shut out the distant echoes of past cruelties and intrigues that seemed to permeate the whole structure. Every step she took grew more hesitant until Anakin stopped and turned to look at her in concern. Leia shrugged, shaking off her uneasiness and took a deep sigh to answer his unspoken question: 

"I do not like this place. You must feel it too. The dark side is everywhere." 

He remained silent for a long time and Leia could feel her cheeks heat in sudden embarrassment. Of course he knew. After all he was the source of all this evil. Had been, she reminded herself, forcing a desperate smile on her lips: 

"I am sorry." 

"You need not be," he answered slowly, "and you have every right to question my decision in bringing you here." 

"I did not -" 

"I can feel your doubts, Leia, and they are understandable. But in no way justified. That is all I ask you to accept. My reasons were of a wholly tactical nature. And although I was aware of how this place might affect you, I simply thought it another opportunity to test your progress." 

Leia nodded in understanding and acceptance. She knew that he had changed. She had, after all, been the one who had sparked that transformation back on Debelan. And although Leia still could feel a darkness lingering in her father's mind and in his actions she was confident that he would overcome his long years of service to Palpatine in the end. If they only let him, she thought ruefully, remembering Mon Mothma's prediction and Anakin's thoughts on the matter. A sudden movement noticed out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, but she did not let it startle her and instead reached out carefully with her mind to determine the newcomer's identity. 

"Jix," he father rumbled pleasantly, turning away from her to welcome his agent. 

"Good news, your lordship. I have gone through the recent reports of my contacts and they have found her at last." 

"The Executor. Finally. Where is she?" 

"One of the drive-yards, and since Kuat can be ruled out and Corulag too there is only Gyndine left." 

"Gyndine." 

Leia smiled at Jix, who wore a pleased expression on his face, and she could feel anticipation rolling off him in huge waves. Clearly he was expecting another assignment, one more interesting and exciting than going through endless reports. And there was something else too. A sly gleam in his eyes, his twitching lips. He was only waiting for someone to ask.

"Any other news?" Leia prompted and felt his relief and pride so clearly that he fairly shone with it in her eyes. 

"I have found Needa." 

"You did?" she exclaimed. 

"Where is he?" Anakin asked calmly, his voice alone cooling both Jix and Leia down. 

"They are taking him to Gyndine. Piett has assumed command of the Chimaera, strangely enough. My guess is that Thrawn has sent him there to prepare the defense of the Core worlds, especially Coruscant." 

"Good thinking. Any news on Solo and his team?" 

"None so far." 

"Very well. Then you will be on your own in this. You will go to Gyndine and spread the rumor that the Rebels have already infiltrated the facilities there. Make it convincing and Piett will be chasing shadows until the teams on Coruscant are in position." 

"And in passing I can go and free Needa, right?" 

"You will do no such thing." 

Leia flinched at her father's harsh words, but Jix was used to such outbursts. He did not even twitch. 

"But it is the same planet. I could get him out easily and still be back in time." 

"I told you no. Your mission must remain secret and losing a pawn or two is inevitable in any game. And none is so valuable that it could not be replaced," Anakin answered coldly. 

"And what does losing a pawn say about your strategic skills?" Leia put in quietly. Her father turned towards her, a look of hurt crossing his face for a split-second: 

"I regret losing him too, but there is no way we can get to him without...." 

"Without what?" He blinked once, then his face hardened again. "That is of no concern now. And that is all there is to say on this matter. You will not free him, Jix. Is that clear?" 

"Clear, but you know I object." 

"Don't you dare defy my orders," the Dark Lord hissed viciously and stormed away down the corridor, leaving his daughter and agent in a foul mood. 

"He is nervous," Leia said suddenly, tapping a finger against her lower lip pensively, staring straight ahead. 

"Oh man, I wish you hadn't said that." 

"And if he is nervous he is bound to make mistakes..." 

"I know, I know, no need to say that too." 

"But Needa is too important. If he is executed we might lose the support of our Imperial allies." 

"Meaning?" 

"You will get him out. I take the responsibility." 

"You sure?" 

"I don't think he would kill me for it, do you?" 

"Better your head than mine, Princess," the Corellian was actually grinning now. 

"Thank you, Jix," Leia replied dryly, then smiled. " Good luck. You'll need it."   


As it turned out Vjun did not only make Leia uneasy. And the Alliance Command was not yet finished with voicing its misgivings about Leia's training to the Dark Lord. Mon Mothma had had called a meeting as soon as everything and everyone had found their places in the castle. Anakin was late for the conference and he knew that this would be taken as another affront. Giving the assembly an open smile he took his seat, facing Mon Mothma along the length of the table. Leia, sitting next to the Alliance leader, was the only one to return his smile. Taking in the violent mood permeating the room Anakin willed himself to relax, but kept his thoughts guarded, a fact that brought a frown on his daughter's face. But what he intended to do today was not something she would understand. And he did not want her to reveal his intentions beforehand, even unwillingly. Mon Mothma squared her shoulders and gave him a cold look.

"Lord Vader, we have followed your advice and your strategy willingly, put up with your capricious behavior and tolerated your keeping secrets. But now you have gone too far. It is not your right to appoint Princess Leia to a position she is not suited for, deliberately deciding over our heads. If I may remind you, _we_ were the ones who put you in command and we will relieve you of it, if need be." 

"Is that what you intend to do then?" he asked pleasantly. 

He could see her balk at that, keeping her anger and hatred in check just barely. When she spoke again, her tone was icy cold: 

"Not yet. First I want to know your reasons for that decision. Well?" 

"My reasons: first, Thrawn knows that I am opposing him and he will act accordingly." 

"Wait a minute. You told us that this was to remain a secret." 

"I never claimed that it would stay one forever. It was inevitable that he would find out eventually. And it doesn't matter anymore." 

"It does!" 

"Mon Mothma, I get the feeling that you have never been really listening to me at all. My very words were: Thrawn will want revenge, since we have demoted him in the eyes of the others. And I will give him the opportunity for vengeance and while he is occupied you can strike in earnest. Do you understand now?" 

"Semantics, Lord Vader. Tell us what you really mean." 

"Very well. I predict that Thrawn will lose Coruscant's support and that Captain Piett will take his place. An excellent choice, by the way. But the Grand Admiral is no fool. He has anticipated that and I daresay that he has already put a plan in motion that will gain him not only the support of the Navy but also of the public. I do not know yet just what exactly he has planned, but I will find out soon enough. When that day comes I will leave you." 

"What?" 

"Which is why I have chosen Princess Leia to advise your generals. She knows how I fight now and knows Thrawn's tactics well enough to give you valuable input. And the Grand Admiral will be too busy to realize that we have trapped him." 

"Trapped him? I still do not understand." 

"He will have lost Coruscant's support and he will not get it back, because, and that is the trick, Coruscant will be under your control by then. Simple." 

Mon Mothma, who had almost come out of her seat during his little speech, slumped back in stunned admiration.

"Brilliant," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment and shaking her head in disbelief. 

At her side Leia wore a deep frown on her beautiful face. Just as he had anticipated. She knew her father well enough to know exactly what would be occupying the Grand Admiral's attention. Or better, who. But Mon Mothma did not see it that way. To her the most important issue was that the Dark Lord would be out of her way, giving her free leave to elevate the Alliance Command's role once more. Yes. In her fondest dreams. Anakin smiled to himself and leaned back slowly, content in the knowledge that Phase 3 was rapidly coming to its well-deserved end.   


Luke had not been granted much time to think once Nuron had started the fight with the Imperial troops surrounding her ship and in hindsight it was for the best, he decided. He had never fought so many enemies before and the efficiency with which the warrior had dispatched off half the troops had almost frightened him. Now, safe in hyperspace aboard her small yacht, Luke had ample time to regain his calm. Kneeling on the floor of the ship's main-hold in a meditative posture, he let the Force soothe his jittery nerves, blowing away all doubts and fears and leaving nothing but profound peace. Nuron's sudden arrival did nothing to disturb that. Opening his eyes Luke smiled up at her. She was leaning in the doorway, all long-limbed grace and watched him with curious interest. 

"You have fought well, Luke. For a Jedi," she added poignantly and unclipped the lightsaber from her belt. "Care for some practice?" 

For an instance Luke battled himself, curiosity finally winning out against caution.

"Sure. I always wanted to fight a real Sith," he answered calmly and rose. Nuron nodded at him with a smile and waited for him to ready his own weapon. 

They circled each other for some time, and Luke let Nuron do all the feinting, trying to draw him out. He wanted to test something and he would have to wait for the right moment. Nuron claimed that his father had trained her and Luke was curious as to what exactly he had taught his apprentice. When she feinted again he could feel her simmering anger and frustration. Surprising her he caught her blade, twisting it around his own, but she used a very unconventional method to get her weapon out of this trap: she simply shut the blade down. 

Grinning at Luke's surprised face she ignited the lightsaber again and attacked, this time with more power behind her blow. Luke side-stepped her and brought up his own blade, slicing through where her head would have been if she had not ducked with a cat-like grace, coming up again with her lightsaber flashing at his legs. He jumped high, almost touching the ceiling and Nuron laughed at his suddenly white face as he realized how close he had come to cracking his own skull. Blushing furiously he extended his senses outward, intent on not letting her get the best of him. They fought on, testing each other's abilities and finally Luke had to admit defeat. 

She was much more experienced than the young Jedi and as she drove him back against the wall yet again Luke shut down his blade, sweat pouring down his forehead into his eyes. Nuron smiled at him. 

"You need more practice," she stated finally and stepped back. Luke saw a silent shadow speed across her face and the smile vanished form her lips. Growling softly she turned away and vanished from the hold. He took his time in following her into the cock-pit, stopping at the fresher to take a shower and only then did he take his seat in the co-pilot's chair. Nuron was staring straight ahead, her eyes fixed into the distance. 

"Where are we going?" 

"Somewhere safe." 

"With more Sith?" 

"Only one," she told him solemnly. 

"My father." 

"Yes." 

She must have felt his relief for her yellow eyes turned towards him in a curious stare: 

"You expected something else?" 

"Maybe. I am sorry." 

"That you still do not trust me?" 

"Hm-hm." 

For a long time neither of them spoke. And gradually Luke realized that his distrust was in no way justified. She was acting just like his father would, pushing him to his limits but never beyond. And this did only prove his suspicion: whatever Anakin Skywalker had taught his apprentice, it was not the way of the Sith. Had Palpatine known? Had he even cared? Nuron was not human and the late Emperor had been well known for his anti-alien biases and politics. And Luke could well imagine his father taking a defiant pride in training the young warrior. He smiled at that faintly. 

"What were you thinking of?" 

"Huh?" 

"When you smiled." 

"My father." 

Nuron simply snorted, but it was as expressive as any lengthy speech. Somehow she did not like her mentor much. And yet here she was, delivering the Dark Lord's son into his father's hands as if she were baby-sitting him. That widened Luke's smile even more. Luckily she was too busy glowering at the starlines to notice. Finally something else demanded Luke's attention.

"How long will it take?" 

"A few days, maybe a week." 

"Do you know where we have to go?" 

"Do you always take a step before you know your way?" 

"No. So?" 

"The place is called Vjun. It is quite unique. You will see." 

"Great." 

Silence fell again and after a while Nuron excused herself, vanishing into the back of the ship. Left all alone Luke was wondering what had sparked those contradicting feelings Nuron held for his father. Well, he would find out soon enough.

Captain Piett knew very well that his presence on the Chimaera's bridge was less than welcome and Captain Palleon, the ship's commander, made him feel that animosity subtly, but with a lot of enthusiasm. He always had the uneasy feeling that the whole bridge crew was studying his back with open hatred whenever he stood at the forward viewport - he did not even dare to take a seat in the command chair although he just knew that Palleon would allow it, if only because protocol demanded it. So he spent as little time on the bridge as possible. Instead Piett had found some comfort in talking to Lorth, who was gradually opening up and recovering fast. 

Their conversations tended to circle around one particular subject and Needa was more than willing to share his opinions with Piett as long as they kept off the Dark Lord's actual plan. But Piett got the feeling that his friend himself had gotten lost in that tangled web. Not a comforting thought. The Grand Admiral had ordered his second to prepare the defenses, but had also made it apparent that he believed that Vader had already made his move on Coruscant, if not openly yet. 

So Piett had two choices: he could either try and find the leaks which might have allowed small rebel teams to infiltrate the capital, or he could simply ignore Coruscant, focusing his troops on fending off fleet attacks. That last option did not appeal to the Captain at all. And with Needa he had a bargaining chip that might serve him well in luring out the rebels, if he chose to. Because that was the most important question: With all that he knew now and out of Thrawn's reach, could he even afford to chose sides? 

"Did he ever talk to Thrawn again?" Needa was just asking, his gray eyes looking at him earnestly. 

"You mean through you? No. I don't think so." 

"Do you think Thrawn scared him off?" 

"Hardly." They shared a smile. 

"What are you going to do once we reach Gyndine?" 

"Get you and myself off this ship fast." 

"Good. And then?" 

"Well, I have my orders." 

"And you will follow them," Needa's voice showed his disappointment plainly even if he kept his 

face impassive. 

"That does not lie in my hands, Lorth. I fear that the politicians will do something stupid." 

"Like give the fleet command over to you? That would not be stupid at all." 

"Oh yes, because I would never survive this," Piett answered with a chuckle.

A subtle shift let them both know that they had reached their destination and the Captain rose 

quickly, shooting his friend an apologetic smile. Needa merely nodded at him and Piett left, steeling himself against the battles to come. 

Not surprisingly he was summoned to Coruscant within the hour of arrival. And although he was loath to leaving Needa behind he at least had the prisoner transferred down onplanet, getting him out of Palleon's reach. He was almost certain about his prediction concerning the government, but he knew what Thrawn was planning, after all. And once the Grand Admiral had secured the Dark Lord's support the politicians might scream and rant, but they would not be able to prevent the inevitable from happening. Once more Piett was astounded at how Vader had managed to maneuver himself in such pivotal a role and how easily he played this game. 

What Thrawn was planning to do with the Sith Lord once his duties were finished though he did not even begin to ponder, knowing full well that the Grand Admiral would never get that far. His own part in this would depend on what exactly the politicians wanted with him. After all Piett could not be sure whether they would truly elevate him to Fleet Commander or have him executed. What a charming set of choices, he thought grimly, but his mood lightened considerably when his shuttle sailed smoothly along the whole length of the completed Super Star Destroyer orbiting Gyndine majestically. The Executor. Her black, glistening flank rolled past the viewport slowly and Piett found himself leaning towards her, admiring that sleek beauty. But then they were already past and headed for the short jump to Coruscant.   


Talon Karrde was anything but patient, Han decided for himself, when the smuggler chief started pacing the length of the small room he had made his office in an abandoned warehouse in the underground of Imperial City. 

"You have sent that signal, haven't you?" Karrde asked for the umpteenth time and Han heaved a deep sigh. 

"Yes. And no, they haven's answered yet. My guess is that the signal got lost in hyperspace." 

Throwing up his arms in exasperation Karrde turned on him: "Wonderful! This means we are stuck here, you know? And for how long? I have a business to run!" 

At that moment Chewie stuck his head through the door, growling a question at Han. "What's he saying?" Rising from his seat Han made for the door, his forehead furrowed in concern: "Official announcement. Might be interesting." 

By the time they reached the comm room half of the command team under Page's lead had already assembled in front of the very illegally rigged holoscreen centering in the middle of the room. All eyes were fixed on the image as the newsspeaker gave his audience a long stare, trying to purvey importance to his message even before he broke it.

"In an emergency meeting this morning the government has relieved Grand Admiral Thrawn of his command and announced the elevation of his second, Tomas Piett, to the post of Fleet Commander and Admiral. Admiral Piett has served in the Imperial Navy for 15 years and ten years under the direct command of Lord Darth Vader. As the Admiral said today in his acceptance speech he will honor the former role of the Navy as protector of the people's interests. Furthermore-"

Han snorted contemptuously: "Protector of the people's interests? More likely protector of the government's -" 

"Shut up, Solo!" someone shouted angrily and the Corellian subsided under the withering stares of the assembly. At his side Chewbacca huffed a small chuckle. 

"Yeah, yeah, keep on laughing," Han muttered sullenly, "you'll see -" 

Chewie slapped his shoulder to silence his friend's quiet tirade, his blue eyes fixed on the screen. 

"Huh? What was that about Needa?" 

The newsspeaker, oblivious to the differing reactions of his audience, continued solemnly: "The government stated that Lorth Needa's execution will serve as a warning for those who betrayed the trust the people have set in them. Admiral Piett refrained from issuing any comment on the matter. It is well known that-" 

The image died and Talon Karrde stepped up to stand in front of the blank screen, holding up his hands to gain the loudly protesting assembly's attention. Once they had quieted down he began in a low voice that sent shivers down Han's spine, because his words voiced the thoughts of everyone present.

"With Piett here we have already lost." Pointing at Han Karrde continued grimly: "You yourself told me that Piett was Vader's disciple and if he has only half as much brains as the Dark Lord he will know that we are here and act upon our presence. I will not jeopardize my men and my business. You are welcome to come along when we pull out of here, but I will certainly not stay and wait for the Imps to find us." 

His little speech gained grumbling acceptance from most team members, and Han could see the fear and despair in their eyes. He shared a concerned glance with Page across the room, then stood to answer Karrde.

"I agree to the theory of what you have just said, Karrde, but there are some things you are overlooking, mainly because you do not know as much as I do." 

"If you are referring to your Sith commander, I am not interested. He is too far away to help us." 

That comment brought everyone's attention fully on Han. "What do you mean?" someone asked and to Han's dismay that someone was Page. 

The Intelligence officer came towards him briskly, his forehead furrowed with suspicion. Han knew that he had to act fast and risk everything if he wanted to save this mission. Straightening himself he gave them all lop-sided grin, holding out his hands defensively: 

"Okay, okay. This was to remain a secret but Karrde is forcing my hand." 

Behind him he could Chewie shifting his position nervously and no doubt the Wookiee had hardened his grip on his bow-caster. 

"All of you have heard the rumors, right? That our new strategist is one of Palpatine's Sith and so on. Right?" 

He got a few nods and a lot of uneasy, questioning glances. Heaving a deep breath Han steeled himself. 

"Well, that Sith is a certain Dark Lord, whom Karrde has just credited with enough brains to foresee not only our actions but also the Imperials'. Which is why we _will_ succeed with this mission." 

Karrde stared at him, disbelieving, and he was not the only one. "Darth Vader is commanding your fleet?" the smuggler chief asked, incredulous. 

"Best thing that could happen to us, don't you think?" Han answered flippantly. 

But his voice was almost drowned out by the rising noises of a shouted dispute, questions and comments. The crowd surged towards him, a sea of angry faces threatening to swallow both Han and Chewie. 

"Wait! Wait!" the Corellian shouted at the top of his voice, waving his hands to quiet them. When they had subsided a bit he shook his head frantically: 

"Who do you think was responsible for Palpatine's death, for each and every victory we scored in the past months? Piett being here does not mean anything. We will stay put, just as we have been told to." 

"Do whatever you want, I am leaving," Karrde put in coldly and turned for the door. 

To Han's surprise Page moved to block his way with a pleasant smile. Taking his chance Han addressed the smuggler again: 

"Karrde, if you go now you will never know who hit you first: Vader, Thrawn or myself. You have agreed to this and you will keep your promise. Please?" he added, unwilling to enrage Karrde more than necessary. 

"Thrawn is out of the game, isn't he?" 

"If you believe that you can believe that Vader is dead too." 

"Alright then. What is do you plan to do now?" 

"Well," Han shrugged, "I will surely not let Needa get executed. They are holding him on Gyndine and I propose we split the team, two thirds remaining on post and the rest accompanying me." 

Page nodded slowly: "I will assume command on Coruscant then. If you fail, don't count on us." 

"Agreed," Han told him with a smile. "What about you, Karrde? Wanna stay here?" 

"Don't you have to inform your superior first?" 

"Nah. Vader likes his agents to remain independent. He'll understand." 

"And if we fail it won't matter anyway," Page added quietly.   


Wrenga Jixton had spent most of the flight to Gyndine with preparations. He had downloaded an outlay of the facilities and docks on the planet from Vjun's mainframe and had studied them intently, memorizing every detail. Of course he knew that freeing Needa had a lower priority than spreading the rumor of rebellion on Gyndine, but he liked to be prepared for everything. His pilot, a Sullustan named Niju Naab, had had to endure his questions concerning the ship controls and Jix thought that these lessons combined with his one-time flying experience should suffice to get him out of Gyndine if they got separated. At least that was what he hoped. Niju had told him that most ships had a standardized control panel and once he knew one of them he could handle any other. This way Jix felt pretty confident when they touched down after having fed the proper codes to the control tower without any trouble. 

Niju promised to remain close to the ship, since both knew that he would only raise suspicion if he remained onboard all the time during their stay. Leaving their assigned landing bay behind Jix double-checked his equipment: blaster, spare blaster, knife, commlink and a sufficient supply of credits. As one of the three major shipyards Gyndine was always busy and with the recent attacks on Kuat and Corulag activity had increased tenfold. Which was very much to Jix' liking. This way noone would bother about yet another new face hanging around. He followed the steady stream of newcomers into the maze of corridors making up the major spaceport which served as capital and command center at the same time. The presence of Imperial storm troopers absolutely everywhere told Jix that the Empire did not intend to loose this planet too. 

Well, he always enjoyed a challenge. Smiling to himself Jix left the main hallway he had been following so far and almost immediately found what he had sought: a bar. This one held a respectable amount of busily chatting customers even at this early time of the day. Workers getting off shift were constantly increasing their numbers and Jix had to hurry to find a place at the bar. Seating himself comfortably he ordered a drink and let the conversations around him sweep him up in their wake, allowing him to get a feel for the mood on Gyndine and its space docks. Apparently news had just hit home about the dismissal of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Jix could not keep himself from smiling. Insert the rumor of rebels on Gyndine and everyone would panic. Turning towards a Rodian sitting next to him Jix gave him a nod, trying to get his attention. 

"Whaddya want?" the alien growled at him and Jix flashed him a toothy smile. 

"Just curious, buddy. You sure that Thrawn is out of it?" 

"The government say so, so it's got to be true." 

"Sure. And who's gonna take over now?" 

"Guy named Piett." 

"Piett?" Jix furrowed his eyebrows, seemingly trying hard to remember something. "Wasn't he 

Thrawn's second?" 

"Yeah. Sure." 

"Huh? I don't understand. They sack the Grand Admiral and get his second in his place? Smells fishy to me." 

"Really?" the Rodian snorted, not really interested. 

"Yeah. I mean Thrawn is the best and only a fool would bring in the second choice, right?" 

"Like those fools on Coruscant?" 

"Hey, mind your manners!" Jix exclaimed, feigning outrage. 

"Cool down, mister. So, what do you wanna prove with that?" 

"Kuat and Corulag got hit and I figure that Gyndine is next in line. I think they want to put the rebels at ease." 

"At ease?" 

"Sure. I guess they are already here and Thrawn is on some secret deployment to ferret them out. 

Would explain why there are so many Imps around here. Do they patrol the docks too?" 

The Rodian stared at him, shook his head, stared again.

"Could be," he muttered, "could be true." 

"Hey, guy like Thrawn don't vanish just like that. And did I see the Chimaera in orbit? One of his 

favorite ships that, or so I've been told." 

"But he's been commanding the Relentless." 

"A decoy for the rebels," Jix answered slyly and gave the Rodian a conspirative nod. "I am telling you this because I think you are a smart guy, but," and here he lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, prompting the Rodian to bend closer, "there's a Super-class Star Destroyer up there and I did notice a lot of activity going on there doing a fly-by." 

Straightening again Jix gave his counterpart a wink: "Nice flagship for a Grand Admiral, eh?" 

Leaving the bar half an hour later buzzing with rumors about Grand Admiral Thrawn taking command of the Executor and wild stories about rebels posing as dock workers, Jix felt pretty smug. His job here was done and he had some time before things got hot on the planet. On his way back to the ship he could pick up stray wisps of conversations dealing with the same rumors and he was astounded at how fast news traveled here. But maybe that was just because the off-shift workers had nothing to do but gossip in their free time. 

Niju was waiting for him excitedly, but Jix waved him away: 

"Yeah, I know. Piett's in charge now." 

The second bit of news though hit him like a hammer-blow: 

"Execution? Do you know when?" 

Niju nodded solemnly, indicating to Jix that they did not have much time before Needa would be transferred to Coruscant for his trial. 

"Alright," Jix sighed finally. "We move tonight." 

Getting into the high-security prison should not prove too difficult, but he would have to get through the military complex situated in the heart of the town. It was late and Jix was walking towards the complex unconcernedly, a half-emptied bottle of Corellian brandy swinging in one hand, and singing at the top of his lungs. 

"Hey, you!" someone shouted and he turned around unsteadily to face two storm troopers. 

"Hm?" he asked muzzily, swaying on his feet. 

"Keep the noise down," one of them admonished him threateningly and Jix smiled faintly. 

"Sure," he promised, but just as soon as they had turned away he started the song again, this time changing the lyrics from the story about his long-lost love to the one about festering idiots called storm troopers he did not miss at all. 

"Hey, you!" came the immediate response and Jix hiccuped loudly. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, steadying himself against a wall. Subtly shifting his weight Jix waited for one of the pair to grab his right arm brutally and snarl: "You are coming with us." Jix pushed himself off the wall, seemingly toppling over and the trooper let go immediately, giving the agent time to unholster his blaster and shoot the second soldier. Silencing his captor with a well-placed blow to his helmet, Jix took a deep breath. This was just the easiest part. Now to get into the fortress. Dressing quickly in the storm trooper armor he double-checked his weapons and the rest of his equipment. Everything was in place. 

The sentry at the entrance moved to block his way as he came running up to him. "Give alarm!" Jix snapped, "We just got attacked." 

The sentry gave him a long look: "Your identification?" 

Jix rattled off his number and swiped his left glove over the ID reader. 

"Alright. You are cleared 1247. Report to the officer on duty immediately." 

Rushing past the guard Jix almost felt like laughing. He found a dressing room close to the prison complex and stripped out of the armor and then simply waited for the next trooper to show up, changing his disguise. Leaving the room again he made his way towards the prison slowly, senses alert. 

This would be the hardest part now. 

"Hey, you!" Turning around and snapping to attention Jix eyed the officer storming towards him calculatively. "13336, what are doing here? You are on duty on Level A1." 

Standing even straighter the agent let the other's tirade wash over him, snapped a 'Yes, sir' and made an about turn, calling up the building layout from his memory. Level A1, high security prison complex. Grinning to himself, Jix hoped that his luck would hold out a little longer. Marching off he cleared the entrance zone through three security checks without difficulty. The high, polished walls of the prison were gleaming in the cold lights above and his lonely steps echoed down the sheer endless length of the main hall, making Jix feel slightly out of place. 

A turbo-lift took him up and he reported back in for duty before he began studying the latest prisoner reports to find Needa. As it turned out A1 was the second-highest security level, after detention area A, on the floor above. Getting there should be no problem, but he knew from experience that the troopers on guard there would tolerate no stranger and would report his presence immediately. Needa's cell was A 31, easy to remember. But Jix knew that he was running out of time. It was only a matter of minutes until someone would find the downed trooper posing as 1247 and then it would be an easy feat even for storm troopers to draw their conclusions. 

Studying the control panel before him Jix tried the master code Mara had used to get into the mainframe. Access denied. Jix gritted his teeth in frustration. Damn Thrawn. Almost immediately alarms started assaulting his ears and the room began to lock down rapidly. With a hearty curse on his lips Jix threw himself underneath the closing door just in time, skidding over the polished floor against the opposite wall. Running down the hallway he got rid of the armor as quickly as he could, grabbing a blaster in his left hand. The next door did not open. Very well. Thrawn might know Mara's codes, but sure as hell Vader had kept his own secret. Setting the lock in a different mode he punched in the ominous 'Padmé' and heaved a relieved sigh when the door slid open again.

Ducking through the entrance he took a few shots at the waiting troopers outside, then moved in for close combat. Once he had dispatched of the guards Jix sprinted to the next turbo-lift, taking it up to level A. Jix emerged from the lift shooting immediately and the adrenaline surging through his blood pushed him forward until he had reached Needa's cell. Opening it he stormed into the confined room, cursing loudly when the door closed again behind him. The Captain did look bad, all bruised and beaten up. But his gray eyes were clear and alert. 

"Jix, what-" 

"No time for explanations, we gotta get out of here fast. Can you walk?" 

"I'll manage," Needa replied and stood up, wincing in pain. 

Slipping an arm around the other's waist to steady him Jix' head came up with a frown when the door slid open far too soon for his estimate. The tall officer striding into the cell took in the scene immediately, his eyes widening in surprise, before a shot out of Jix' blaster threw him backwards against the opposite wall. 

"Jix!" Needa gasped, shook his head and hobbled into the hallway to kneel next to the dazed officer. 

"Piett, are you alright?" 

"Are you kidding me?" the other man moaned softly, a hand pressed over the still smoking wound right above his hip. 

"Piett? As in Admiral Piett, newly-appointed Fleet Commander?" Jix asked slowly, his eyes narrowing. Stepping into the corridor he threw a glance at the far end, then, seeing no obvious threat, knelt down beside Needa and put the muzzle of his blaster to the Admiral's head: "We'll use him as hostage then." 

"Brilliant," Needa snapped irritably and slung his arms around Piett's shoulders, hoisting him up. 

"Clear the way, we'll follow." 

Jix gave the two men a curious look, sensing that there was something going on that he did not fully understand. Piett's face had turned waxen and cold sweat was pouring down his face. Blinking his green eyes slowly he took an anguished breath. 

"Come on, we don't have much time," he hissed between gritted teeth. 

"You mean you came here to free him too? Okay, okay, I get it. Let's get moving. Don't think, just run, leave the thinking to me," Jix ordered sharply and grabbed Piett's left arm, while Needa limped on the Admiral's right side, steadying him. 

They moved swiftly, despite the fact that two of them were injured, one of them gravely so. Piett almost fainted a few times, but only almost, and Jix had to admire the man's endurance despite everything. It was also the Admiral who led the threesome towards the shuttle waiting for him up on the fortress' roof. Once Jix had gotten rid of the two troopers guarding the ship, the threesome hurried into the cockpit. Needa moved towards the pilot's chair but the Corellian pushed him aside: 

"You are injured. No way you are flying." 

"Jix, you can't even pilot a ship!" 

"I've had some lessons." 

"This is no game, Jix. We have to get away. In one piece, preferably." 

"We are not going very far, Captain." 

"What do you mean?" 

"We are only taking a ride up there," Jix explained, pointing at the huge ship looming in the distance. 

"The Executor? Are you out of your mind?" 

"I have studied the plans. There is the possibility of flying it by remote and I am sure that the Admiral 

here knows everything about it." 

"If he survives until we reach the ship," Needa put in quietly. 

"You keep him from dying on us and I'll keep the rest of us from going up in flames. Now get to work." 

While the Captain moved to take care of Piett's wound Jix gritted his teeth in concentration. He had not really planned on taking the Executor back to Vjun, but it would make a nice gift for the Dark Lord, and in passing would cool him down once he learned that Jix had chosen not to follow his orders. But it was still a long way to the Super Star Destroyer and already the Chimaera was spitting out TIE fighters at them. The sudden arrival of two freighter-sized ships therefore was a more than welcome sight, when Jix identified them as the Millennium Falcon and the Wilde Karrde. He called up the comm code to Solo's ship immediately: 

"Run cover for us, will ya?" he yelled, not waiting for Han to acknowledge him. 

"Jix! What are you doing -? Don't tell me you are flying her!" 

"You bet! Can you two distract that Star Destroyer and the TIEs?" 

"That's a lot of fire-power over there..." Han muttered sarcastically. 

"You just wait until I get my hands on the Executor's batteries." 

"Jix, you are mad." 

Watching the two freighters swerve away to intercept the fighters Jix smiled grimly. But not for long. Turning his head he frowned at Needa who was pressing a patch of synth-flesh against the Admiral's side: 

"Is he still conscious?" 

"Yes," Piett answered weakly. 

"The hangar bays are closed. How -" 

"You can send a signal. Wait. For a fully automated response the code is-" 

His voice dropped hoarsely and even Needa apparently strained hard to hear him. Finally the Captain straightened up, looking at Jix calmly: 

"The code is Alpha 101. Can you program that and send it over?" 

"Sure," the agent replied slowly, eyeing Piett closely. 

If the Admiral was dying... Well, now he had other things to worry about. The Executor loomed ever closer and Jix quickly sent the code over the transponder, praying for a positive response. In what seemed the last possible moment the great hangar just ahead opened ponderously and the shuttle slipped through the energy field separating the landing bay from open space. Jix landed the shuttle as careful as possible, which wasn't very gentle at all. 

"Get him up to the bridge. Remote control is where, lower?" 

Piett did not answer. 

"He's unconscious," Needa explained calmly. "Come on, give me a hand here. We can give him something once we are there. No need to put him under stress now." 

Together they carried the Admiral's limp body through the ghostly quiet ship and Jix really did feel uncomfortable here. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone. Still, he was more than relieved when they put Piett down on the floor in the remote center. Straightening slowly Jix studied the layout of the room and immediately he spotted the rounded helmet hanging suspended from the low ceiling, wires and cables connecting it to multiple control panels. Jix frowned at the construct, hoping for some instruction. 

"Put it on," he heard Piett say weakly behind him. "The gloves. Those too." 

Stepping into the circle underneath the helmet Jix pushed what looked like the activation button on a sleek panel in front of him. The helmet descended slowly until it came to rest on his shoulders. All of a sudden the inside flickered and a display came to life, showing a detailed layout of the space surrounding the ship. 

Fumbling for the gloves Piett had told him about Jix found the pair hanging from the central panel and put them on. On the screen a few commands appeared, for rescaling the size and changing the view and a rectangle showed the ship's readings on power, shields, weapons and general crew status. Except for the crew all of them seemed on maximum scale. Jix smiled slowly. This would be fun. 

Han Solo threw the Millennium Falcon into a wild corkscrew maneuver that brought a few choked protests from the crew strapped in in the back of the ship and an angry growl from Chewbacca at his side. But it effectively shook off the three TIEs on their trail. The freighter's dorsal and ventral guns blazed again, spewing laser bolts after the retreating fighters. Suddenly the comm came to life.

"The Executor is moving," Talon Karrde informed them calmly and Han looked up to see the Super Star Destroyer indeed under way towards the Chimaera. 

"Wow!" he commented, awed and Chewie whined in empathy. 

"Our job is done, Solo. Let's get out of here. Next stop?" 

"Not Coruscant." 

"So?" 

"Nar Shadaa. We'll try to contact our fleet from there." 

"Done. See you there." 

When the Wilde Karrde winked out of real space Han still could not turn his eyes away from the huge Star Destroyer gliding across their viewport, all majestic grace. Until it started firing. Time to leave. 

Luke had felt a bit uneasy on their descent towards the great fortress dominating Vjun's desolate plains from atop a sleek, dark mountain rising into the reddish sky like a tidal wave. But his uneasiness was nothing compared what Nuron was feeling: fear, anger, hatred. The young Jedi could not help but think of his master's words concerning those emotions. Hatred leads to suffering, Yoda had told him and if what Luke could feel from the alien was any measure she was expecting to suffer immensely. 

He studied her grim face for some time, wishing that he was brave enough to just ask what did cause those feelings in her. Or who. When she turned her head towards him though the look in her yellow eyes forbade any comment on her emotional state. So Luke bit back his question and kept silent until they had touched down on the landing pad assigned to them. 

"Welcome to Bast Castle," Nuron growled, unstrapping from her flight restraints and went aft to gather her gear together. Luke followed slowly, unsure of what to say. Finally he decided it best to let her make the first step. If she wanted to talk about it he was sure that she knew that he would listen. 

Leia was waiting for him at the landing ramp, fairly beaming with joy. Throwing her arms wide to embrace him she rushed forward to hug him tightly, laughing: 

"It is so good to have you back! I was so worried!" 

"Well, you needn't have to, Leia. I had some help. No. A lot of help. This is Nuron."

Letting go of her brother the Princess studied the alien female quietly, then gave her a nod and a smile. Nuron did seem nervous, standing very straight, her eyes constantly searching the fortress's landing pad. But whatever threat she seemed to expect failed to materialize. Finally she moved over to stand at Luke's side. 

"You are his sister?" 

"Yes." 

Nuron took a step back, scrutinizing the Princess' slight form curiously.

"Your father has been training you!" she exclaimed finally, clearly astounded. 

"Yes. Please, he will want to meet with you." 

The alien merely nodded, her mouth turning into a grim line. On their way through the Castle's hallways she became more and more tense and again Luke quietly began to wonder why. She had saved his life, hadn't she? There was really nothing she had to fear. And if she did, he would protect her, just as she had protected him. 

Leia was first to enter the Dark Lord's office and Luke followed her immediately, anxious to see his father again. The twins both wore huge smiles when Anakin looked up from his desk, frowning. But to their surprise the frown did not fade. Instead it deepened and all of a sudden his eyes were sparkling dangerously. Rising from his seat he came around the desk briskly, his gaze intent only on the tall woman facing him with quiet pride. Luke did have a sudden premonition of things to come but by then it was too late. Closing the distance rapidly the Dark Lord let his left arm whip around in a lightning-quick move and hit Nuron's head with unbridled force. 

Although she obviously had expected it the warrior did not make any move to fend off the blow. Stumbling past Leia she bounded against the wall hard, then slid to the floor, holding her left hand to the side of her face. Blood was trickling out of the corner of her mouth and from her nose. Both Luke and Leia stared first at her, then at their father, disbelieving. But the mask of cold rage painted on his face allowed for no argument. "Go. Now," he snarled at the twins, pointing at the door. Luke hesitated at first, but Leia, now deadly pale, dragged him outside. The door slid close behind them.   


Anakin Skywalker was looming over the downed agent, barely able to contain his fury. Nuron looked up at him, her yellow eyes burning with betrayal and hurt. 

"You are no longer my master, Lord Vader," she hissed. 

"Then stop acting like an apprentice," Anakin snapped. "This is a war situation and you are obliged 

to follow my orders and mine alone. And you have no right to question them." 

"But reason enough." 

He regarded her coldly for a short while. But she was not easily cowed. And her defiant stare dared him to try and punish her for the disobedience. 

"What reasons would that be?" he asked finally, his voice leaden. 

Nuron rose gracefully, but kept within striking distance, honoring his authority. Wiping the blood 

from her mouth she met his gaze levelly.

"Your son, Lord Vader, is training to become a Jedi Knight." 

"And that is your reason for defying my orders? I have warned Lord Kell and I have warned you. This is your last chance, Nuron." 

Using the Force to sweep her off her feet he stepped forward to rest his right boot on her exposed neck. She did not stir, but he could feel the sudden fear in her mind. Smiling coldly he shook his head in mock compassion: 

"Nuron Sarin, you have disappointed me, broken my trust and questioned my authority. I will not kill you now because you are young and will learn. But I want you to realize that I decide who will live and who will perish. You are mine, Nuron. The Council does not own you, I do. Well?" 

"I am yours, Lord Vader," she whispered, her voice choked with hot tears of humiliation. 

"Indeed. Get up. I am not finished with you just yet." 

Releasing the pressure on her neck he let her rise again, fully aware of her cringing inside as she anticipated his next move. But she did not try to protect herself when his right knee came sharply before she could straighten up fully. With a quiet moan Nuron stumbled back, her eyes full of tears, blinding her. Which was just as well. This way she could not see the pain in his own. 

When he finally left his office he nearly walked over Gerran as the short spy came around the corner, obviously to talk to the Dark Lord. He could catch a brief glimpse at the alien woman lying motionless on the floor before the door slid close again and by then Anakin was already blocking his view. Jay Gerran gaped at him, open-mouthed. 

"What is it?" 

"I- I have a message for you." 

"Later. I am on my way to my quarters and do not wish to be disturbed." 

"Yes, of course, Lord - sir." 

Baring his teeth at him in a grim smile Anakin turned around and stormed down the corridor, too agitated to deal with Gerran now and let him live. Finally he had reached the safety of his own cabin and immediately walked up to the viewport to stare moodily into the distance. 

"What did you do with her?" 

Gasping in surprise Anakin whirled around to face his son. Luke was sitting on the edge of one of the comfortable chairs scattered throughout the Dark Lord's quarters, his blue eyes at the same time cold and troubled. It was an unsettling combination. 

"She knew what was waiting for her here." 

"I could gather that much. But why?" 

"You would not understand, Luke." 

"Why? Because I am a Jedi and she is a Sith? Because you are still a Sith?" 

"No. Because you are no strategist, no politician. You are a guardian." 

"This would mean that it is my duty to guard her too." 

"Then you have just failed," Anakin told him cruelly, crossing his hands on his back. 

It was a gesture that could mean many things - defiance, acquiescence or simple arrogance - and Luke frowned at his father, unsure of what exactly to make of it. Anakin could feel his son's anguish as clearly as he could feel his own. 

"Father, you hurt her despite everything she did for me." 

"Are you that important, then? Do not get me wrong, Luke. You are very important to me and I love you dearly. But that is personal. What I did to Nuron I did because it was necessary." 

"Necessary?" 

"You will not be taken seriously if you are not willing to carry out your threats, Luke. I regret her punishment, very much, because she too is dear to me. But personal is not the same as important." 

"Do you realize that you hurt me and Leia too?" 

"Never as much as I hurt myself," Anakin whispered coldly. 

"There's a happy thought." 

"Luke, please leave me alone for now. You will understand, in time." 

Rising slowly Luke heaved a tiny sigh. He hung his head for a moment, closing his eyes in dismay. Finally though he sought his father's gaze and smiled at him: 

"I understand, I truly do. But maybe, just maybe, this time personal is the same as important. Nuron has not deserved your wrath and you have not deserved to suffer so. I know that you are under a lot of pressure. But you trusted Leia with taking part of your responsibility. And by sharing it she is making you stronger. Nuron is suffering with you. Why don't you trust her now to ease your pain?" 

Nodding once at Anakin he turned around to leave without looking back. His father stared after him in utter amazement. How much he has grown, he mused quietly, shaking his head still disbelieving. So much wisdom in one so young. But on the other hand Luke could not grasp the full extent of what was going on. Roj Kell was testing him. And to add insult to injury, he did not only use Luke for his ends but also Nuron, knowing full well that the Dark Lord had no choice but to hurt her. 

Never ever before had he punished her deliberately like this. True, there had been some injuries throughout her training, both physical and mental, but that had been well within the normal range between teacher and student. This time though, he had to prove to the Council that his threats were to be taken seriously. If he became lenient now, they would truly begin to doubt his loyalty. Still, it was more than unfortunate that it was Nuron who had to suffer for that. 

Dropping into the chair Luke had previously occupied, Anakin leaned back tiredly, closing his eyes. Nuron was so much of a warrior now and so eager to impress her mentor that he had almost forgotten how young she still was. "A wild one," Chi'in had called the sullen orphan when he had first laid eyes on the then ten year old Zabrak girl they had met on Myrk seven years ago. She had not been afraid of Darth Vader's grotesque mask and armor, not at all. Nuron had been curious. Myrk had been a test of the Dark Lord's abilities initiated by Palpatine who knew very well that he had to keep his disciple in check, and, even more important, had to keep his mind off playing dangerous games. And Chi'in had insisted on going along, fearing for his master. And his worry had been justified. 

It had taken the Dark Lord two painful weeks to discover the secret of Myrk and how to fight the Ysalamiri's influence. All the while Chi'in had guarded him against the Vornskyr stalking them both every night. The predators had felt drawn to the immense source of life-force created by these two powerful beings and the first week had been full of unpleasant encounters. At first Anakin had sought to protect his apprentice and both had suffered some injuries. Finally Chi'in had been able to convince his master that his own lack of experience in using the Force was actually an advantage, since the absence of the Force affected him less than the Dark Lord. So the Noghri warrior relied only on his hunter instincts in battling off the predators' attacks, a strategy that had proven most effective and allowed Anakin to concentrate on his mission fully. 

They had taken Nuron out into the forest then and Anakin had shown her the beauty of life, of the Force. With no kin to hold her on Myrk she had agreed to follow the Sith to Coruscant. Anakin remembered well the day they had reached the capital to meet with the Emperor. Nuron had been awed by the sheer size of the city and the billions of noises and images assaulting her ears and eyes. "I see you have found yourself another pet," Palpatine had commented contemptuously, making it very clear that he did not approve his Dark Lord's choice of apprentices. Anakin had kept silent, fully aware of the waves of humiliation and hurt pride rolling off Chi'in standing a few paces behind him. When Palpatine had bent down to examine the young Zabrak more closely he had actually started to smile. "I know her kind. Very effective warriors, but not what you seek, Lord Vader." 

Indeed, it was only too true. As Dark Lord of the Sith, the title encompassing both the duties of a strategist and a combat teacher, it was his task to choose and train an apprentice to follow in his foot-steps. Chi'in had been his first choice and although the Noghri was a deadly opponent both with the Force and without, his personality was too protective, especially of his master. He was an effective killer, but no leader and never would be. He cared too much. With Nuron it was much more complicated. She had shown promise at first, her independent and creative mind very open to the Dark Lord's teachings. But she was a warrior and furthermore she had grown up among the Council, always seeking their consent on anything when her teacher was not around. And Palpatine had forced him to spend most of his time on Coruscant. 

Anakin had felt the effects of his lack of caring and control most prominently in the past months, as Nuron had continued to defy his orders in exchange of following Roj Kell's instructions. To her it must seem natural that Kell was the leader of the Sith, now that Palpatine was dead. And Anakin was almost sure that she was acting like any abandoned child would, punishing the offending parent by disobeying him deliberately. Maybe she even believed that the Council was backing her actions, not realizing at all how she was being used in this foolish fight for dominance. 

A fact that, in Anakin's mind, only confirmed that she was unfit to take his place. The Council, and especially Roj Kell, had not liked having a former Jedi Knight rise to the position of Chief Strategist and Fleet Commander instead of their kind. Not at all. And this jealousy was exactly what Palpatine had been counting on. With multiple fronts to fight Anakin had in time given up resisting him, resigning any hope of ever gaining the upper hand in their game. For a long time he had been truly broken and his only choice had been to fully embrace the Dark Side. But now he had taken up the battle yet again. And this time he would bring it to an end. Whether Luke understood or not could not be his concern. 

"But it should be, Anakin." 

Sighing deeply he closed his eyes without turning to look at his friend.

"Tell me, how can I please everyone, Obi-Wan?" 

"You can't." 

"Exactly right. So I will end this game with as few casualties as I can manage." 

"It has become far too dangerous a game for that." 

"In my mind there are no others worth playing." 

"But this time there are even more fronts. Mothma, Thrawn, the Sith and your agents. Take care. I have warned you once before." 

"It will not go on for much longer, Obi-Wan." 

"Master Yoda says that your trials have begun." 

"I know. I felt it. And I am doing my best." 

"Your best? The way you handled your apprentice -" 

"Don't you start too!" Anakin shouted, rising from his seat angrily. 

"Anakin. You could have chosen another way." 

"Too late for that." 

"Indeed. But please, try to take more care in the future." 

"I will. I promise." 

After Obi-Wan had left Anakin stood alone at the window for a long time, studying the plains laid out before him and watching the sun set in a glorious blood-red ball of fire. Night was falling quickly on Vjun and finally he decided that there was indeed another solution: he would tell Nuron what exactly he was planning. He owed her that much and maybe, just maybe then she would trust him again. 

To his mild surprise he did not find her in his office. Instead of the Zabrak warrior Jay Gerran was waiting for him nervously. 

"The message?" Anakin inquired coolly, eyeing the metal box standing on his desk suspiciously. 

"Yes, my lord." 

Waving his right hand impatiently Anakin snapped: "Well? What are you waiting for?" Gerran bent forward to work the lock, then stood back to let the Dark Lord have a look. Stepping around his desk Anakin frowned deeply. 

He had the sudden nagging feeling that the message purveyed nothing good. The severed alien head staring up at him out of dead, lantern eyes shocked him more than he cared to admit. A Noghri head. 

"The message is -," Jay began tentatively, but was immediately interrupted. 

"I have understood, thank you," Anakin growled and looked up to give the agent a long, hard glance. Withering under his steady stare Gerran retreated until he bumped into the wall next to the door. 

"Your answer?" 

Anakin smiled cruelly: "Guess." 

Standing next to Chi'in at the far wall Amidala watched Roj Kell prepare to accept the transmission that had just come trough. It was the first time that the queen had been invited to share any information with the Sithleader and somehow she felt that this did pass as some sort of initiation rite. He gave her a tight smile, then took a step back as the life-sized holo-image of a tall man appeared before him. Amidala did not recognize him at first. And when she did she felt all color drain from her face. His bald head was decorated with long, purple scars contrasting sharply with his deadly white skin. Only his eyes had stayed the same, although, taking a closer look, she noticed that they had turned even colder than she remembered. 

"Lord Vader. What news?" 

"You know very well why I am calling you, Lord Kell. My son has returned. With Nuron." 

"Nuron. How is she?" 

"She will recover. Eventually," Anakin replied with a cold smile. 

"I was only trying to do you a favor." 

"Spare me those lies, Kell. Your so-called favors are messing up my plan." 

"I am sorry to hear that." 

"Are you now. I have a message for Chi'in. Is he with you?" 

"Yes." Waving the Noghri closer Roj Kell returned the Dark Lord's icy stare levelly: "What kind of message?" 

But Anakin had apparently chosen to ignore him. Turning his head to look down at the short combat trainer he gave him a curt nod.

"Thrawn is using your people against me. He knows of my bonds to the Noghri and threatens to kill them if I do not surrender." 

"What?" Kell exclaimed, suddenly angry. "Lord Vader, I demand that you -" 

"I cannot accept his challenge without jeopardizing the plan, Chi'in. And I want to ask you not to interfere. Do not forget who your vows are to." 

"I understand, my lord," the Noghri replied calmly, but a certain tremble in his voice betrayed his true emotions. 

"Very good. I am counting on your insight here. Do not disappoint my trust." 

"I will not, Lord Vader." 

"Good. That is all. Lord Kell, do not think that I have forgotten your part in this. And you will pay, just as Nuron has." 

Abruptly the connection broke, plunging the room in nearly total darkness for a second before their eyes had grown accustomed to the usual gloomy light. Amidala stepped forward cautiously and put a hand lightly on Chi'in's shoulder. He looked up at her with an ironic smile and she knew that he understood. She shook her head slightly, smiling back. Anakin had chosen to abandon her and her people a long time ago and now he was abandoning another one. Just as he had abandoned the Jedi, sacrificing them for his own ends. 

"We will have to keep a close eye on him," Roj Kell mused aloud. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I fear that he is planning to betray us to Thrawn." 

"What?" 

Amidala was taken aback. But then she realized the truth of this assumption. Yes, it would be just like him to make everyone think themselves safe before he struck. Roj Kell was looking at her pensively, expectantly even, until she found herself prompted to ask: 

"Is there any way I can help you?"   
  


  


Alarms were wailing throughout the fleet assembled around Vjun and were echoed down on the planet along the hallways of Bast Castle. Something had arrived in the system and was heading straight for the planet. Something huge. 

"The Executor," Anakin explained calmly and strode into the comm center where a few officers were trying to raise the Super Star Destroyer. Finally something got through. 

"...eeda reporting back for duty. Repeat: Captain Needa reporting back-"

"Needa," Anakin barked into the commlink, "What are you doing here?" 

"Your agent freed me." 

"Jix?" 

"Yes. Why? I do not understand." 

"Get him on the line," the Dark Lord hissed viciously. 

"I fear that is impossible right now. He is just trying to bring us into orbit." 

Anakin stared at the comm as if it had personally insulted him: 

"What? You mean _he is actually flying the Executor_?" 

"Yes, sir. Is there a problem?" 

"There will be once he shows his face down here." 

"Sir, we have brought someone with us." 

"Who is it?"   


Piett woke up to the steady sound of a breathing apparatus pumping oxygen into his weakened system and the annoying beeping of a control unit monitoring his heart-beat. He had hung on for dear life throughout the entire voyage, fully expecting not to survive. Now though he was glad he had. 

"Congratulations to your appointment to Admiral, Piett," an unfamiliar voice said softly and he turned his head slowly to face the tall human looking down at him out of calm blue eyes. Piett frowned, searching his memory for the stranger's scarred face futilely. 

"Do I know you?" he whispered and the other man laughed quietly. 

"You should. Captain Needa is recovering too. I fear that I will have to thank Jix after all." 

Suddenly realization dawned on Piett: "Lord Vader?" 

The man smiled at him: "It took you some time. But it is good to see you again. I had expected you to act as you did, faced with Needa's execution. Unfortunately my agent decided to take matters into his own hands, against my orders. Although he assures me that he was not responsible." 

"What are you going to do with him?" 

The Dark Lord took a seat on the edge of Piett's bed and continued to smile: 

"Actually I am unsure whether I should be mad at him because he defied my orders or because he dared to fly my ship in here." 

"I see. So?" 

"Nothing drastic. I still have some use for his services." 

This time Piett did laugh, although it hurt. Suddenly though he sombered again: 

"Lord Vader, there is something you need to know. It concerns your wife-" 

"Yes. I know. Captain Needa has informed me of their encounter on Chandrilea. He sacrificed his mission to let her escape on Tatooine. I am very grateful for that." 

"Do you know where she is now?" 

"Yes." 

"Oh." 

"You should rest now, Piett. The Alliance will need your expertise soon enough." 

Swallowing the comment he had been about to utter Piett fixed the Dark Lord with a curious stare. The Alliance needed him? Interesting. Apparently Lord Vader had never had had any doubt about Piett's loyalty, especially when faced with the impending execution of his long-time friend Lorth Needa. Was that the only reason for Needa's capture? Well. In hindsight it did seem obvious. Shaking his head slowly Piett smiled at the Sith:

"You know, Lord Vader, the Alliance is indeed lucky to have you on their side."

The tall man gave him a quick smile:

"Then they should make the most of it, because it won't last much longer."

"What do you mean?"

"I am leaving very soon. And that is why I need you here."

"An honor, Lord Vader."

The Dark Lord did not answer, but his smile did not fade either. Giving the Admiral a short nod he whirled around to leave and once again Tomas Piett had the feeling that he had just missed something. A master of manipulation, Thrawn had called his opponent not so long ago. And how very true those words were proving to be. But what would happen when he left? Who would take over? Not himself, that Piett was sure of. His son? Possibly. Well, whoever did get his post surely would be hard pressed to get even remotedly close to the Dark Lord's skills. 

Luke had joined his sister in her quarters immediately after welcoming Jix back when he had heard what had happened after the agent's report. He had found Nuron huddling next to the Princess, sobbing quietly and the sight had nearly broken his heart. Apparently his father had demanded another explanation of her and he had not liked what she had told him, not at all. Nuron had barely recovered from the punishment the Dark Lord had delivered to her previously, but Luke had the feeling that this time it had been even worse. All three looked up when the door slid open suddenly, revealing Anakin Skywalker's imposing form. His face did not reveal any emotion, but his silence spoke volumes. Nuron returned his gaze defiantly, but when he came forward briskly she flinched back, only to rally herself again with a angry growl. 

"We need to talk," Anakin said sharply and dropped into one of the soft chairs opposite from the bed. 

"Your turn," Leia prompted quietly and he nodded. 

"Yes. My turn indeed. Well, you both know that your mother is alive. Nuron has just told me that she is currently on Korriban." 

"Korriban?" Luke asked, confused. 

"A secluded planet and home to the Brotherhood of the Sith. Her presence there concerns me and I know that I will have to act soon. Especially with Thrawn breathing down our necks." 

"The Noghri?" Luke again. 

"Yes. I will not allow him to use them in that manner." 

"What is your plan?" 

"Very simple. Leia will take over for me, with Needa and Piett to help her. Together they can defeat the Imperial Navy easily." 

"What about yourself?" 

"I am going after Thrawn." 

Leaning back in his chair Anakin gave them all a slow, cold smile and Luke realized with dread that the real game had only just begun. And this time it was personal.

TBC 

PS: Ky Desmin wanted to know when this story will be finished. Well, the next part will be definitely the last. After that – we shall see. Do I put hard work in this story? I try J

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=92633
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=97082
   [3]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=108493
   [4]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=116304



	6. Encounters

The Art of War   
  
  
  


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters - yet.

Special thanks to Redone again. And Kee, of course. Links to the previous parts: [Part 1][1], [Part 2][2], [Part 3][3], [Part 4][4] and Part 5.   
  


Part 6: Encounters   
  
  
  


Mara watched the Grand Admiral closely. He was sitting very quietly amidst the glowing displays circling his chair in his very private meditation chamber. It was an almost serene picture, Mara thought quietly. With nothing else to do she let her mind wander, scrutinizing the recent happenings. They had arrived at the Noghri world Honorgh almost a week ago and Thrawn had immediately made his move. He had explained to her that the Noghri held a special place with the Dark Lord, something she found hard to believe. But the Grand Admiral apparently knew Vader better than she did. It was easy to free a single person, Thrawn had told her, but when the lives of so many were at stake one could not take any risks. Which seemed logical. But they were dealing with Vader, after all.

This morning though Jay Gerran had confirmed the Dark Lord's willingness to meet with Thrawn. And Mara was actually pretty excited about that. What was Vader planning to do? He would not surrender just like that, Mara was certain. There must be something he held secret and the Grand Admiral undoubtedly knew that too. Thrawn had been going on about that in length, actually. But he was certain that Vader would not let the rebels fall without some justified reasons. Which was why the Grand Admiral was so concentrated right now. If he could anticipate the Dark Lord's motives he had won this game. And wouldn't that be fun.   
  
  
  
  
  


_"You are making a mistake. And if you leave now I will find you wherever you go. I will find you, Padmé. You will stay here, or suffer my revenge. If you leave now, Padmé, I swear I will kill you."_

Those words, spoken in scorn almost half a lifetime ago were haunting Anakin now. He had regretted them immediately once they were issued, but by then it had already been too late. He remembered Padmé's eyes widening in fear and how she had taken a step back, the small, hurt sobs as he had let her go again. She had not said a thing. And he had been too proud to ask her forgiveness. He had come back to Coruscant, hoping for her insight, her reassurance and strength to soothe that nagging feeling of failure tearing at his soul. How disappointed he had been when Padmé had told him that she was leaving, that she did not trust him anymore. Could she not see how much he needed her now?

In his lonely battle he was being assaulted from all sides and the tension was threatening to suffocate him. The Jedi Council had made it clear that they did not approve of his course of action, had sent him to Alderaan of all places to cool down. The peaceful world had done nothing to ease his growing restlessness, the feeling that everything was getting out of control. And now this. He had felt her withdraw from him then, closing off her heart, only strengthening his fears that he had lost her, had lost everything. And he had known just who to blame.

Fighting Obi-Wan had only been another mistake in a long series.

_Waking up always was the hardest part. His eyes hurt in the cold lights of the sterile room they had put him in and the chilly air made him shiver. Unable to move at all, he would simply stare up at the ceiling, imagining the stars above, telling himself that he was lying underneath the night sky above Tatooine or Naboo, not confined to his bed, shackled down by these cursed machines. Wishful thinking, he knew. His mouth was swollen and he was almost certain that his jaw had been broken. There was little he remembered of the happenings on Eol Sha. And maybe that was just for the best. He recalled fighting Obi-Wan, his own anger at his one-time friend and master, and the end of Anakin Skywalker._

_I _am_ Anakin, he reminded himself. Repeatedly._

_But he knew very well that nothing was as before. And his captor took great delight in telling him over and over again. Palpatine's blue eyes regarded him with unmistakable mocking as he stepped closer to the patient hanging on to what little was left of his life. Of himself. Anakin had not even dared to assess his own condition, fearing the worst and loathing what he had let himself become. Leaning closer the Chancellor smiled coldly:_

_"Your wife was officially reported dead two weeks ago." His smile deepened. "Apparently she drowned in the lake above Otoh Gunga. Some even speak of murder."_

_At first his mind froze, his brain shutting down as an icy coldness swept over him, rendering his feelings numb. Dead? Anakin's eyes narrowed for the smallest fraction of a second as he rallied himself and his mind translated the words into their true meaning. Impossible. Obi-Wan would have told him, wouldn't he? If anything happens to me I want you to keep her safe, he had asked his friend before leaving for Alderaan on his lonely mission three months ago. He had returned only to find that Amidala did not trust him anymore, that noone seemed to trust him at all. He had been furious at Obi-Wan for sending her away, for turning her against him. But still, his friend would have told him if anything had happened to her. Two weeks. Two weeks ago he had been on his way to Eol Sha. Suddenly realizing the truth Anakin took a deep breath through the machine that had replaced his lungs. Forcing a smile on his dried-out lips he met Palpatine's gaze levelly._

_"Brilliant," he wheezed laboriously, forcing his mouth to cooperate._

_"Isn't it though? The Naboo blame the Gungans for her death and some even believe that you killed her yourself. Fools. Your friends have abandoned you long ago, Skywalker. There is no turning back for you."_

_"But - there is - a way," Anakin whispered weakly, fighting down the pain._

_"There always is, my friend. Always. And I can show it to you."_

_Anakin stared at him for a long time unblinking. Amidala's supposed death would rekindle the animosities between the Gungans and the Naboo she had managed to lay to rest almost a decade ago. The result may very well be a civil war or, knowing Palpatine's plan, even something worse. He would use the tragedy in his favor, pressing for a quick ratification on the Cloning Act and he could even blame the Jedi for having failed to protect the queen. It truly was a brilliant move, one that had trapped his opponent effectively. Anakin might know that Amidala was not really dead, that it had probably been her bodyguard who had been found murdered on Naboo, but who would believe him? Especially now. Obi-Wan had seen him die on Eol Sha._

_His life was in Palpatine's hands and the Chancellor was offering to teach him everything there was to know of the game he had started, stumbling into its hidden mazes and traps like a fool. And although Anakin was certain that his plan itself was right and that it was the only way to defeat Palpatine, he also knew that he had indeed a lot to learn until they could meet as equals. And it was true what Palpatine had said: he had no friends left. He could not go back. But he could take Palpatine's offer and turn that gift against him. Someday. An old saying came to hismind: patience is the virtue of the warrior. He might have lost this battle, but he could still win the war. Nodding grimly Anakin made his choice.___

_"Then show me."_   
  


Heaving a deep sigh, Anakin Skywalker opened his eyes and shook off the memories. For a long time he simply stared straight ahead, unseeing, and finally an ironic smile appeared on his lips.

"I thought myself really clever back then," he declared, sarcasm dripping off every word.

"You did, indeed."

Anakin smiled at his friend expectantly.

"You believe that I should have said something else?" Obi-Wan inquired coolly.

"Actually yes, but you would only lecture me about pride again."

Throwing up his hands in a defensive gesture, Obi-Wan shrugged in mock discomfort:

"The Force only knows that there is noone alive who could best you at this game. But you are right: pride is not for the Jedi."

Hugging his arms around his legs and drawing them up to his chest Anakin rested his chin on his knees pensively. Noone alive. He grimaced in disdain. But Obi-Wan had a point. He still was too proud. And he could only hope that somewhere along the way he could learn that lesson in humility he apparently needed so badly. For now though he refused to surrender his ego, telling himself that there was noone who could defeat him, although Thrawn had made quite an impressive try. As long as he remained aloof, shielding his emotions from any harm that might befall them, he was invulnerable. His children were very capable of taking care of themselves, and if not, there were always ways to help them without taking an active part, as Nuron had proven with Luke. There was always a way. At least that was what he believed.

"You are right, Obi-Wan, I know. But sometimes pride can be a very effective shield."

"Are you sure that you really need it?"

Anakin stared blankly at his friend before he answered in a small voice:

"Yes."

Obi-Wan folded his arms in front of his chest and shook his head ominously, gaining himself an angry growl from the Dark Lord.

"You are trying to hold on to them and keep them apart at the same time. But you must realize that this cannot work in the long run, Anakin. You told Master Yoda once that you have never learned to forgive, but you did with me, didn't you? In the end?"

"Yes," came the sullen reply.

"Then why can't you just surrender your pride too?"

"Surrender is a greater pain than you might imagine."

"For you, yes. But you are running up against a wall right now and surrender is your only way to break through. Don't you see? Neither your strength nor your wits can help you there."

"Palpatine broke me by turning my feelings against me."

"Forget him, Anakin. You of all people should know that a general who does not share the life of his troops will lose their trust. You are only human, after all."

"I cannot allow myself to become weak now. Maybe later, but not now."

"Well, I surely am not going to force you to do anything, even if I could. But when the time comes I hope that you will make the right choice."

"The right choice," Anakin snorted then continued in a more somber tone: "Tell me, what did Amidala think of what happened back then?"

"At first her mind was rigid with fear, understandably, and it took me long hours to convince her that there was no possibility whatsoever that you of all people would have made the mistake of confusing her with Sabé. In the end though she did come to see the truth. And I did too. You had gone too far, but I was certain that you could still come back."

"Is that why you let Luke keep his true name?"

"To mark the way home for you. Amidala was furious."

"And that was why she left Tatooine?"

"To be with her daughter for some time and away from me. She thought I had betrayed her by taking your side. And when I realized later that you were indeed lost I became very worried. But by then it was too late to change what had already been done."

Anakin did not reply and finally Obi-Wan faded away, leaving his friend alone to ponder the many questions their conversation had sparked in his mind. Anakin was preparing to meet with Thrawn and time was running out. Although he had allowed the Imperial warlord to gain the upper hand, or at least had made Thrawn believe to, there were still a few factors to take care of. Convincing the Alliance Command to accept Leia as new leader was one of them. And so far he had not found the time to talk to Nuron and he was not sure if he should reveal anything to her after all, not with Amidala on Korriban. He could not move against the Sith under these circumstance, at least not openly. And he was not certain if Nuron was completely loyal to him anymore.

A difficult situation. Sighing deeply, he dislodged his arms and rose. One step at a time. He would have to think about this and soon, but right now he did not feel up to developing any effective plan, not with what Obi-Wan had told him. For now he just needed some time alone to sort out his feelings and thoughts. Anakin knew very well that he had already given up moving unseen in favor of throwing Thrawn off balance and thereby he had made himself seem more vulnerable. Which he was not in the least. Thrawn might believe that the Alliance did not trust him or the former Imperial troops, but what he saw was not the same as what was truly going on.

But now the Grand Admiral thought that he had found a flaw in the design of the Dark Lord's plan: the Noghri. Anakin had not been best pleased when Palpatine had given the responsibility for their mission deployments and the control over their home-planet over to Thrawn when the Grand Admiral had left for the Unknown Regions. The Noghri used a formality that the Admiral did not care for at all and he did make them feel that too. In short, he did not care. Well, time to make him do so. And if not for the Noghri, then for someone else.   
  
  
  


"Look at that, will ya?" Jix exclaimed in disgust, gesturing over the endless rows of nutrient bubbles lining the crew quarters aboard the Executor. Leia and Mon Mothma had been following him quietly, both wearing thoughtful expressions. The rebel leader stepped forward cautiously, frowning, and touched one of the cylinders tentatively:

"How curious. And you say that there are more on the other decks?"

"Yes."

"Very strange. What are those?"

"Cloning tanks," Leia replied calmly.

"Clones?" Mon Mothma asked in bewilderment.

The Princess nodded. She did not like the feel of this ship, not at all. Apart from a team of scientists they were the only ones alive on board and it made her skin crawl. She had accompanied Jix on his first scouting round through the Super Star Destroyer and had shared their findings with Admiral Piett. He had been the one who had filled her in on the clones. Since the Empire did lack sufficient troops Grand Admiral Thrawn had had the glorious idea of manning the Executor with a crew consisting mostly of clones. It had been thought as a last resort, but considering the Empire's current state it was indeed time for desperate measures.

"Thrawn is apparently on his way to some secret location to get the missing pieces for growing them," Leia explained softly," Genetic material has already been taken and stands ready for the process."

This ship felt like a tomb, a giant grave. That was what made her so uncomfortable. She wanted to get off board and fast.

"How did he know about all this?"

"Lord Vader sent him a message through Mara, I believe, some datacards containing valuable information."

The moment she had said it Leia knew it had been a mistake. Mon Mothma turned towards her, incredulous at first, then full of anger:

"He did what?"

"I -"

"That is treason, do you realize that?"

"I am sure he had his reasons."

"He always does, doesn't he?"

Leia's face hardened and when she replied her voice was wintry cold:

"It does not matter. What does are the results."

"Have you come so far then? To tell me that the ends justify the means?"

"No. Not at all. But you cannot just assume that he was wrong in doing so. You cannot be certain that moving the way he did, he did not he save the lives of thousands who would have died in a senseless battle to gain control of this ship."

"And you are certain of that?"

"This ship is huge and running it does cost a fortune. To us it is of no use and the Empire lacks the resources too. Don't you see? Lord Vader has offered Thrawn this way out and I am sure that he did not do it out of compassion or anything. There is another purpose behind that."

"Which one?"

Leia clicked her mouth shut. She did not know if Anakin wanted the Alliance Command to know exactly what he was planning to do. They might go so far and try to prevent him from leaving. Gritting her teeth Leia realized her mistake: by keeping silent she had made Mon Mothma suspicious, she could feel it. What a mess.

"Ladies?"

Jix was standing a few meters apart, behind the rebel leader, and his right hand was hovering dangerously close to the blaster hanging from his belt. Leia smiled at him reassuringly. Turning towards Mon Mothma, the Princess' expression became serious once more:

"Have you ever heard about the strategy of courting the enemy? Making him feel safe? Estranging his most trusted advisors and gaining the support of his people?"

"Yes. Of course. And that is what Lord Vader is doing?"

"No. This is what we must do. Lorth Needa and Tomas Piett are counted among the best Imperial command has to offer and both are with us now. Thrawn has been relieved of his command and he is left with only one ship, maybe two. The government is under public pressure and what the people want is peace and stability. The Empire has been thrown into chaos. This is our chance."

"What about Thrawn? Won't they call him back?"

"I am almost sure of that. And here time is against us. Which is exactly why Lord Vader is leaving."

"He will meet with the Grand Admiral? He will truly surrender? To what purpose?"

"Frankly, I do not know. But he will keep Thrawn off our backs. Our task is taking control of Coruscant. Now."

To Leia's great surprise Mon Mothma's anger faded and she smiled at the Princess warmly:

"Thank you. I must admit that Lord Vader has taught you very well. And although I still believe you are far too young for this sort of responsibility I fear I will have to trust his judgement once more."

"Needa and Piett will be helping me."

Mon Mothma sighed deeply:

"Lord Vader has outmaneuvered us and now all we can do is stand aside and offer you our support. Which we will do, of course. I had, for a time, forgotten the purpose of all this, that it is for the best of everyone, nor for our own personal gain. To get taught that lesson by Darth Vader of all people is, in a way, very humiliating. I guess that is why we refused to see the truth at first. And because of his absolutely infuriating behavior," she added with a tiny smile.

"He can be pretty demanding at times, yes," the Princess agreed slowly.

Why the sudden change? Mon Mothma had been absolutely furious after their retreat from Hoth and very hostile towards Leia's father. There must be something behind all this, she mused inwardly. A slight frown appeared on Leia's face as her suspicion deepened. There was someone she needed to talk to very soon.   
  
  
  


She was standing at a window, very straight, her head held high and her eyes fixed into the distance. Approaching her Anakin could feel her longing, her uneasiness and the pain. He came to a halt a few steps behind her and studied her reflection in the transparisteel viewport. Nuron's eyes were yellow slits and her mouth was drawn tight in a stubborn pout. For a while neither said a word. Finally Anakin decided to make the first move. Closing the distance he laid a hand gently on her shoulder and immediately she tensed, as if expecting the punishment to continue:

"I will not hurt you," he told her quietly, but did not let go.

"It is not my place to question your actions, Lord Vader."

He smiled at the defiance in her tone, her stiff-backed pride.

"True, indeed. But neither is it mine to treat you like a child."

She turned around in surprise.

"I am a Sith. I obey the Council and the Dark Lord. I am not a child."

"You are an individual. And you are responsible for your actions. Which is why I punished you. Not because you are a Sith. Or a child."

"But you said- You said that you own me."

"You are, among everything else, a soldier, Nuron. And in that you _are_ mine. This is something I teach all of my agents. I will tolerate their independent actions, but only so far. I explicitly forbade you to interfere. Yet you chose to ignore my orders."

"Lord Kell said-"

"Roj Kell has nothing to say on that matter. I carry the responsibility for the success of this operation. I alone am in command."

"But the Council-"

"Is obliged to follow me in wartimes. As you know very well. I came here to apologize, Nuron, but I can see that you still are not inclined to see the error of your ways."

"You told me once that I have to stand for what I believe in."

"Yes. So?"

"I believe in honesty, Lord Vader. And I believe in you. And for a time I thought that you believed in me too. What has changed?"

"You have, Nuron. You have lost your independence. Why I know that? Because else you would have saved my son not because Lord Kell told you to, but because you would have understood my request as a message to you."

"What message?"

"To remember what I have taught you. That simple, Nuron. But I realize too that I have been away for too long, that I did not have the time to finish your training properly. You must have felt incomplete and Roj Kell eagerly moved in to fill you with his dreams of glory. Am I right?"

Nuron stared at him, her yellow eyes unfathomable. Still, Anakin could feel the sudden feeling of betrayal slam into her as she finally understood what exactly he had punished her for. Taking a long step away from him she swallowed hard, setting her mouth in a grim line. Without another word she whirled around and stormed down the corridor, vanishing from sight. Anakin shook his head slowly, refraining from monitoring her feelings and thoughts through the Force. He had made the first step, but the next one would have to come from her. It would take her some time to sort out her desires and wishes, to admit her errors and to accept what she had learned. But in the end Nuron would understand that she had let herself become trapped. And as a warrior, she would not tolerate that at all.   
  
  
  


Meditating in his small room, Luke was well aware of his sister approaching even before she tentatively knocked at the door. Rising gracefully he went over to open it for her. He gave her a warm smile and hugged her tightly before leading her over to sit on the bed. Leia stared at him, her dark eyes hard and questioning.

"How was your trip to the Executor?"

"Interesting. Did you talk to Mon Mothma?"

Luke winced slightly at the accusation: "They came to me, actually. The three of them. They wanted to know if you had changed in any way."

"I see. And what did you tell them?"

"It was ridiculous. Do you know that they actually thought that Father was turning you into a Sith?" He barked a small laugh but Leia kept very still. So he continued more earnestly: "I told them that he was teaching you strategy and that this has got nothing to do with the Force. He does not even use it himself when planning his moves."

"He did teach me about the Force too," Leia explained coolly, daring him to say anything against that. Luke looked at her pensively:

"And how did you feel about it?"

"Good, actually," she replied, just a bit too flippantly.

Luke gave her an uneasy smile, sensing that there was more behind that comment. Was she perhaps afraid that the Command's concerns were justified? If so, she was badly mistaken. Maybe she had felt it too, but chosen to ignore it, but their father was not what he seemed at all.

"Do you know that Nuron was his apprentice before you?"

She shook her head slightly.

"I am fairly certain that Father did not teach her only strategy and tactics either. He lectured her about the Force, about responsibility, about Life and about being a guardian."

"Sounds like your Master Yoda."

"Doesn't it?"

"You mean he has taught her how to be a Jedi Knight?"

Throwing up his hands helplessly Luke started pacing the floor:

"I am not sure where exactly Father stands on all this. He obviously has a different point of view from Master Yoda and I blame that on his life as a warrior, constantly fighting. No wonder his vision got warped quite a bit. He punished Nuron and felt bad about it afterwards - I could feel his pain across the room, you know? But he thinks emotions will make him weak. Which prompted the question who he is expecting to fight. Thrawn? I do not believe that this would trouble him so. No. There is something else. And when he told us that Mother is with the Sith on Korriban I got it."

"Got it?"

"The Sith, Leia, are the key. This whole plan is nothing but an elaborate ruse to distract them from realizing his true intent. The fact that he is helping the Alliance win the war is just a welcome side effect. Didn't you ask yourself why he would ever consider joining Thrawn?"

"And did you ever ask yourself why he never told us about them? That there are more?"

"Well, no. I guess he thinks the less we know, the less we are in danger. Nuron says he is the Sith' battle-leader and that he is responsible for the whole plan."

"You talked to her?"

"You did too. I found her in his office, after - you know."

"Soothing her?"

Luke blushed slightly: "You would have done the same in my place. Anyway. She said as Dark Lord the Sith Council has to follow his orders in war-times. I guess that is the whole reason why he agreed to take this post as-"

"Executor," Leia prompted him with a small smile.

"Yes. I know what you mean. He has planned this long before he ever became Darth Vader, I believe. And you know what that means, don't you?"

When he saw her eyes widen in understanding Luke smiled down at his sister pleasantly.

"I do not like the way the Alliance Command sees him," she said suddenly and Luke simply nodded. "We should talk to them. They trusted you because they know you have been trained as a Jedi. They will trust him too when they realize what he really is. Who he is."

"They will be afraid, Leia, very afraid."

"Why should they? He is our father. He is a Jedi Knight."

"He is too dangerous."

"What?"

"You know Mon Mothma. She does not like people being smarter than herself."

They shared a laugh. "You are right," Leia admitted finally. "Unfortunately. And I can see that you have learned a lot on Dagobah."

"She will try to get back in control once he is gone."

"I know. She already is trying to make me feel accepted. But I do not mind her taking over. She knows what she wants and what she wants is good. She is much more experienced at politics than I am and I will gladly learn from her. As long as she lets me do my job first."   
  
  
  


The Alliance Command had followed the Dark Lord's call and now they were all assembled again in the Castle's huge meeting room, a bit forlorn, only the five of them. Mon Mothma was seated between her generals, as usual, facing Leia and Anakin across the table. Once everyone had settled down Anakin did not waste any time. Rising gracefully he gestured towards the holoproj and almost immediately an image of Coruscant materialized, spinning slowly above the table's smooth surface.

"With the loss of the Executor and Admiral Piett the government is facing increasing pressure from the people. Our sources report that more and more protests are being voiced and there is a mutual call for peace and safety from random attacks by Imperial troops. They are as afraid of their government as the government is afraid of us. Grand Admiral Thrawn has been replaced and it will take some time, even if they call him back, for him to return to Coruscant. In the mean-time my best guess is that Admirals Griff and Ozzel, the most senior members of the Navy Command, will take over."

"Have you heard anything from our teams on the planet?"

"Not yet."

"And that does not worry you?"

"No. If they had been discovered we would have heard by now. So we will assume that they are in position and ready to strike. Princess Leia has prepared the plans for the attack on Coruscant. Princess, if you please?"

Taking his seat again he watched Leia stand up, just a little bit flustered by the intent gazes of the three people facing her. She bent over the holoproj controls, staring hard at the image. Straightening again Leia cleared her throat once and nodded at the small assembly thoughtfully.

"The purpose of this operation will be not only the conquest of the capital, but also a symbol of unity. The Imperial government has lost the support of its people and they are looking to the Navy to save their necks, at the same time fearing a renewed military rule. With our covert operations we have made sure that the public does not harbor any love for the military and the government knows that too. And we will have to make good use of those contrasting sentiments."

Two more planets appeared, while the image shrunk to a smaller scale.

"We have to distract the military enough to assure an easy victory. They will be expecting us to strike at Gyndine and we will, with a superior force. Another attack will be lead on Duros, drawing more ships away from Coruscant. And while they are occupied our strike teams will make their move and infiltrate the Imperial Palace. When our main task force arrives," pushing a button Leia let a fleet of five Star Destroyers and five capital warships of different types converge on the planet, "the sentinel ships left behind by the Navy will certainly not be taken by surprise, and I daresay that the government will expect this battle to turn in the Empire's favor. Their major worry will be a public uprising. And by the time they realize that the enemy is already right on their door-step it will be too late."

"But they will not give up without a fight."

"No. The Navy will strike back, I am certain of that, but Coruscant will be secured without a fight. And that is most important."

"How are you proposing to make the Navy surrender then?"

"Without the government's support they cannot survive. With no goal to reach and nothing to defend their resolve will be broken. Unity will be torn apart when the troops realize that they are fighting a losing battle. They _will_ surrender. Trust me."

"Will you be leading the attack yourself, Princess?"

"No. I am entrusting our Coruscant fleet into the able hands of General Dodonna." She smiled at their surprise." Captain Needa will take command of the Duros and Gyndine operations. To forestall your questions: I myself will leave for Coruscant once our main force is in position and the attacks on Duros and Gyndine have started."

Mon Mothma nodded slowly while General Dodonna's eyes narrowed dangerously. He had realized the purpose of this setup apparently. This way both commanders would be dependent on the other's success. There would be no back-stabbing, no rivalry, just one common goal.

"What about General Rieekan?"

"He will accompany me to Coruscant, together with Luke Skywalker."

"And Lord Vader?"

"Is leaving today," Anakin told them pleasantly and rose. "If all is settled then?"

"You are leaving?"

"Just what I said, Mon Mothma."

"Alone?"

"No. I will be taking my aide with me."

"And, if I may ask, where are you going?"

"You may ask, but you may not get an answer."

She scowled at him: "Mind your manners. What about your agent? Is she leaving too?"

"No."

"Very well. Then this only leaves us to wish you good luck on whatever your mission might be."

"Thank you. I will give your regards to the Grand Admiral."

"Do that, Lord Vader, do that." This time the Alliance leader smiled openly. "And may the Force be with you."

"Always."   
  
  


When Leia and Luke went to see their father off in his chambers a few hours later they found Wrenga Jixton lurking in the hallway in front of the door looking quite miserable. When he saw the twins approaching though he straightened up from his slouch, his expression turning passive, even arrogant. Leia smiled at him warmly:

"Jix, what's up?"

"Nothing. I am just - waiting," he added, shooting an annoyed glance at the still closed door.

Leia followed his gaze, frowning:

"But I can feel him in there. Why-"

Stopping herself short she blushed at Jix' angry scowl. He threw up his hands in disgust and started pacing in front of the twins, growling something under his breath.

"What was that?" Luke asked as gently as he could.

"I _said_," Jix almost shouted, "that he is ignoring me. Completely."

"The Executor? Is that it? He is still mad at you?"

"Mad? If he were mad at me I would probably be in intensive care, sharing the room with Piett. But he doesn't even seem to _care_, you know? He _knows_ that I have been waiting out here for half an hour!"

The twins shared a glance and Leia raised her eyebrows knowingly. Wrenga Jixton hated being ignored and he especially hated being ignored by the Dark Lord. They both could feel that the Corellian was at the brink of despair right now, desperately seeking some reaction to his disobedience, some acknowledgement for his reckless endeavor. Sighing deeply Leia stepped forward to pat his shoulder amiably, thereby stopping him in his tracks. He stared down at her, his blue eyes throwing angry sparks, but gradually his face softened again and in the end she could feel him relax a bit.

"We'll talk to him, alright?"

"You think that will help?" he replied gruffly.

"Probably not, but we can certainly try."

Just then the door opened and Leia turned around to see her father stride out of his room, eyes fixed thoughtfully into the distance. They fell in step with him, half-running to keep up, as he made his way for the Castle's main landing pad where a shuttle was already waiting for him. Leia shot a glance at Luke, who was grinning openly. They could both feel the stiff hurt pride in their father and Jix' anger at the Dark Lord. The tension between the two men was almost palpable, and furthermore the whole affair was getting ridiculous.

"Will you two be alright?"

Leia almost jumped at the sudden sound of her father's voice.

"I guess so. They seem relatively tame now that everything is settled."

"Good. Luke, I want you to keep an eye on Nuron."

"No problem."

"In your place I would not be so sure of that, son."

"Understood. And who will take care of you? Gerran?"

"Gerran?" Jix yelped, scandalized, from somewhere in the back of the small group.

Whirling around abruptly Anakin brought the agent up short, looming over the startled Corellian like a huge black cloud.

"You object?" he asked very softly and very coldly.

"It will be dangerous," Jix answered weakly and Leia could really bear with him.

A cruel smile appeared on the Dark Lord's lips:

"At least he is following my orders."

"You did not say that you did not want the Executor here!" the other man shouted defensively.

"I didn't, did I? I also distinctly remember myself telling you that your operation was to remain secret. Secret. Have you ever heard of that word? Does it, in your mind, encompass stealing a 12.800 meter long Super Star Destroyer more or less under the eyes of the Imperial Navy?"

"I -"

"Spare me, Jix. You are staying here."

"What? That is-"

"Unfair? Was that the word you were looking for?"

Clamping his mouth shut Jix simply stared up at him. Anakin gave him a triumphant smile, turned around again and left, with Luke by his side, not looking back once. Remaining behind sullenly Jix folded his arms in front of his chest, clearly hurt. For an instance Leia hesitated before following her father and brother, trying to find any way to soothe the agent.

"I'll be okay, Princess. Just go ahead."

"We'll talk later, alright?"

"Sure."   
  
  
  


Anakin strode onto the landing pad only to find Nuron waiting for him. She was facing him proudly and he could feel the sudden tension rising from Luke by his side. Clearly the boy was expecting another confrontation. Motioning for him to stay behind the Dark Lord approached the warrior casually, revealing nothing. She stood at ease at the lowered landing ramp of his ship and it was clear that she had made a decision. Good. Nodding at her once he hooked his thumbs behind his belt, waiting for her to talk. She hesitated for a moment, clearly taken aback by the fact that he was forcing her to make the first step, something reserved only for emergencies. Custom demanded that she, as a common warrior, had to wait until she was given permission to speak. It annoyed Anakin greatly that Nuron apparently had not yet managed to come to terms with what he had told her and what he was expecting of her. She was still unsure of herself. _Well, what did you expect in such a short time?_ he asked himself resignedly.

"I have heard that you are leaving. Lord Vader," she began, and the accusation in her tone for not having been informed by him first rankled immensely.

"So?"

"Do you have any orders for me?"

"No. But a request: my son has told me that you have been practicing with him. Keep up those exercises. There are a lot of things you can learn from a Jedi."

Flinching at the obvious reference to their previous conversation, Nuron's face hardened visibly. "I have some advice for you too, my Lord," she hissed coldly. "The Council does not trust you anymore. Take care or else you might trap yourself in your own web."

He watched her impassively for a while, letting her wonder how he would react. But when he spoke his tone was completely earnest: "What about you? Do you trust me?"

"I am not sure anymore. I - have a feeling that I know what you are planning. Please. Think about it once more."

Her voice had dropped to a soft whisper and only then did Anakin realize what she must be going through. He had given her a home on Korriban, people to care for her and an upbringing that was designed to prepare her for her destiny to come. A glorious one as a warrior, as a strategist, a Sith. She had grown up in the belief that the Sith were invincible, that one day she would rule by their side. And now he was going to take that dream from her. Just as he had destroyed her hopes of taking his place one day. Truly shocked at what a mess he had made of her Anakin shook his head slowly and reached out to touch her shoulder. But she took a step back, evading him, her face a show of cold pride.

"I did not mean to hurt you like this, Nuron."

"You did not care," she shot back hoarsely.

"Yes, you are right. I did not see you as the very capable young warrior you are, but as a tool for my plans. I realize now that thinking that way was a mistake. But unfortunately this is neither the place nor the time to make it undone. All I can say is that I am sorry."

Nuron did not answer but he could see her jaw working furiously to keep her from blurting out a reply that she feared might sound childish or immature or even unprofessional. For that was how she had seen herself so far and what she had hoped her mentor had seen in her too. A professional, an equal even, maybe.

"I am sorry for disappointing you like this," she said finally, her voice choked with silent tears.

Brushing past him she left, ignoring Luke standing in a respectable distance that would have prevented him from overhearing their conversation. He was looking at her thoughtfully, then came forward to join his father at the ship. Both men turned around, watching as Leia hurried onto the pad, frowning at the warrior headed in the opposite direction. The two women's eyes locked for a moment and then Nuron nodded at the Princess a quiet acknowledgement, the finality of it nearly breaking Anakin's heart.

"I have been such a fool," he whispered, remembering Obi-Wan's words. But he had tried, hadn't he?

"You did well. But it could have been better," Luke said quietly and again his father was helpless in the face of the young Jedi's astoundingly mature wisdom and insight.

"What is it that I am doing wrong? Can you tell me?"

"Well. Master Yoda would say that you have to find out by yourself. But maybe I can give you a hint by reminding you of just who taught you to play this game."

Leia's arrival prevented any answer, but Anakin understood well enough. Of course. That was what Obi-Wan had told him too. And Amidala had been shocked when he had proposed using calculated manipulation in her quest to bring the Republic back to a democracy. Although a deft politician herself she had always refrained from discrediting an opponent with false evidence and uncalled for accusations. He was acting like a Sith, and worse, he was acting just like Palpatine. But he had been aware of that, hadn't he? Which was exactly why he was leaving the field to Leia now. She was so much like her mother. Even now, looking down at her smiling face Anakin could see Amidala's features in hers and once again he vowed that he would never let his daughter be hurt the way he had hurt her mother.

"Are you alright?" she asked tentatively, a concerned smile on her lips.

"Yes," he answered weakly and stepped forward to embrace her: "Take care, Princess."

"Jix and Luke will be watching over me, so don't you worry."

Letting go of her again Anakin hugged Luke tightly, regretting that he had had so little time for him after his son had returned from Dagobah. But he would make up for that later, when all of this was over. Somehow.

"May the Force be with you," he said, smiling as Luke turned his clear blue eyes up to look at him.

"Just come back to us."   
  
  
  


The Millenium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace a few clicks away from Nar Shadaa and the Wilde Karrde was already waiting for them there, hanging lazily in open space. Hailing the freighter, Han's fingers drummed over the comm console in an impatient rhythm that was getting on Chewbacca's nerves.

"Alright, alright!" Han told his co-pilot defensively when the Wookiee roared at him.

"Millenium Falcon, you got some problems?" Karrde asked coolly.

"No, not at all," the Corellian huffed indignantly.

"Good. Because we might get some over here."

"What do you mean?"

"Check your sensors and tell me what you see off starboard."

Han frowned at his display: "A Star Destroyer?"

"Headed our way. My guess is that we have landed right in its exit vector."

"Then we should get out of it fast, don't you think?"

Throttling up the ship to full speed Han let the Falcon glide into formation with the Wilde Karrde and they made their way towards the planet side by side. Undoubtedly the smuggler chief's sensor officer was eyeing his readouts just as critically as Chewbacca. But so far the huge warship had not seemed inclined to even acknowledge their presence, let alone tried to hail them. So far, so good. Swinging in a wide arc to the right they put a bit more distance between themselves and the Destroyer, just in case.

"Are you running or what?" Karrde asked suspiciously.

"No, just a bit of caution here. Wanna come along? I just want to get out of their guns' reach."

"That does sound reasonable."

But the sudden maneuver had not remained undetected. The Imperial ship changed its course ever so slightly, gliding smoothly towards the two freighters. Han watched the Destroyer loom ever closer, unsure of what to do. If they tried to flee now they would surely have a few TIEs on their trail before they could ever make the jump to safety. "Any ideas?" he asked Chewie under his breath, his eyes fixed straight ahead. The Wookiee growled slowly. "Yes, you're right. She is too well known. But we got her into Coruscant and out, so maybe we can manage one Star Destroyer also."

"Unidentified freighter, this is the Imperial Star Destroyer Relentless. State your business."

Han felt all color drain from his face. The Relentless? Grand Admiral Thrawn's personal flagship? Moaning softly he hesitated before answering the call.

"Err, we are in need of some repairs and fuel."

"It is a long flight from Gyndine, isn't it, Millenium Falcon?" a new voice asked smoothly and Han felt his heart skip a beat. That was him! Had to be. Thrawn himself. Oh man.

"Indeed. Sir," he added as an after-thought. There was a small laugh on the other end.

"Well, enjoy your stay on Nar Shadaa. The Chimaera sends her regards."

"Really? How - nice."

He was going to let them go! He truly was-

"She will be arriving here shortly, by the way. So if I were you I would finish my business as quickly as possible."

"Don't you worry," Han replied sourly and cut the transmission. "Real clever. Thank you so much. Karrde!"

"I heard it, Solo. He sounds like a nice guy, doesn't he?"

"Slick. Reminds me of someone else, actually."

"So, what do we do now? Head home to base?"

"No."

"No? You want to sit here waiting for the Chimaera to arrive?"

"No, it was true what I told Thrawn. We really need fuel and the forward deflector could use some work."

"Great. Now you are telling me. Well. I know some people. Just follow us. And try not to get lost."

"Just lead the way."   
  


The Wilde Karrde headed towards the distant planet at full speed and when they hit the atmosphere Han cursed wildly, cutting his power to a minimum to compensate for the defective shield. They had almost lost sight of the other ship when they turned into the maze of the vertical city of Nar Shadaa, but Chewie's sharp eyes spotted the smuggler again soon. Dancing through the traffic wildly the two freighters mad their way deeper and down, into the underground. It was a twenty-minute flight of near catastrophes and confusing maneuvers, but in the end the Millenium Falcon touched down unharmed next to the Wilde Karrde on the landing pad of what looked like a repair shop.

Han powered down his ship and sighed deeply before leaving the cockpit, following Chewie aft. Han nodded at the fifteen Alliance troopers, but most of them returned that friendly gesture with a grim glare. The Corellian simply shrugged. It had, after all, not been his fault that the ride had been so rough. Waving them onward he followed his co-pilot down the landing ramp, where Karrde was already waiting for them. "Welcome to Nar Shadaa," he said with a mocking smile. Indicating the tall man standing next to him he gave Han a nod:

"This is Shug Ninx, who owns this place. Say hello to Han Solo and Chewbacca."

Ninx simply nodded: "We know each other." Laughing quietly Karrde shook his head:

"Of course. Come on. We don't have much time."

Han and Shug shook hands and shared a smile: "Haven't seen you in a long time."

Han shrugged: "Well, we have been keeping busy."

"So I heard. You are with the Rebels now?"

"Most of the time."

"Karrde has made a deal with them too."

"Yeah, I know. Listen. An Imperial Star Destroyer just pulled out of the system. Anyone know what they wanted?"

"I could make inquiries."

"Good. That would be great. You tell me who can give me that information and I go and get it while you take care of the Falcon."

"Done."   
  
  
  


Mara stood next to the Grand Admiral as the Relentless moved towards her jump-point slowly, leaving Nar Shadaa behind. The encounter with Solo had shaken her, she had to admit and she was curious why Thrawn had let them go. If they found out exactly what kind of business they had been conducting... But no. Thrawn had taken care of that, hadn't he? Permanently. Still, he did seem uncharacteristically thoughtful. And she could very well understand what was bothering him. They had just received news of the attack on Gyndine and the disappearance of the Executor and Admiral Piett. Which was the whole reason for the delay in leaving the planet.

Now Thrawn was waiting for a certain message to arrive. Coruscant had no choice but to call him back into service, now that Piett was gone. And when they did the Grand Admiral would have to decide quickly if their current mission was still justified. Mara closed her eyes for a moment and unbidden the memory of her very first vision flooded back into her mind: Vader aboard the bridge of a Star Destroyer, standing guard, and someone hidden in the shadows. That someone had to be Thrawn, she was almost certain of that.

"Sir," a youngish lieutenant said softly as he came to a halt behind them.

"What is it?"

"A call for you. It is Coruscant."

Taking a deep breath the Grand Admiral turned around slowly, his glowing eyes boring into the officer's head:

"Coruscant, you say? Very well. I will take it in my private quarters. Mara Jade, you are taking command."

"Yes, sir," she answered smartly and smiled as she watched him leave unhurriedly.

In some ways Vader and the Grand Admiral were pretty similar to each other. But the one difference was that Thrawn accepted the role of the military as subordinate to the government. The Dark Lord was used to exercising sole control and hated having someone else interfere, especially politicians. A stance that did not sit well with the Alliance Command, she knew. On the other hand he was too important to the Rebels and they would tolerate his arrogance for as long as was needed. But no further. Contrary to that Thrawn's calm competence did not only convince his troops of his skills, but also soothed the government immensely.

How grateful they must have been when he had taken over. While the senior Navy officers surely had not liked him taking over the post of Fleet Commander it had also been them who had suggested him in the first place. And the whole machine was running on smoothly. Mara found that she liked that. There were no moody outbursts, no unexplained orders, no secrets. Thrawn was in command, and fully so. Serving under him had given her back some of the stability and security she had felt when serving as the Emperor's Hand. He did not treat her as if she were a child or incompetent. And, most important, he did not play with her. And she was very grateful that Vader had let her go like this. He had known how she had felt and acted accordingly. When the Grand Admiral stepped up to her quietly she was taken completely by surprise.

"Good news, sir?"

"Coruscant has requested me to return to the capital to resume command of our troops."

"And, will you?"

Thrawn shook his head slightly, but did not answer.

"Sir, if I may?" He looked at her, curious. "I know this might sound strange or even preposterous, but I just know that Coruscant is not the right place to go."

"It isn't, is it? I feel the same. There is nothing we can accomplish by leaving for Coruscant and I can issue my orders from here. No, you are right. First things first. Helmsman!" He called out sharply. "Take us to Wayland."   
  
  
  


Luke found Nuron practicing in one of the more abandoned parts of Bast Castle. She had selected a huge chamber on the uppermost floor overlooking the distant plains and the sky painted red with the setting sun's dying light. The warrior was going through her fencing exercises with a fluid grace, moving from one pose to the next in a never-ending dance. Luke stood watching her for a long time until she stopped abruptly in a high guard position, her back forming a straight line with her arms, her neck and right leg, with her blade stabbing down, blocking an imaginary overhand blow. Shutting down the lightsaber she straightened up again and turned to face him.

"What do you want?"

He shrugged uncomfortably: "Well, it sounds a bit strange, but I do feel out of place here. Everyone seems to know what they are supposed to do and even though Leia says she'll be happy to have me along I get the feeling that she has other things to worry about."

"The attack on Coruscant."

"Yes."

"And you came up here to seek what, distraction?" She smiled at the thought of that.

"Maybe."

Their eyes locked and for a moment Luke felt electrified, just looking at her. Nuron's yellow eyes were like shining mirrors of gold, reflecting nothing at all. He smiled a bit at her beautiful face. But the spell had been broken and already the warrior was moving towards the windowpane to gather up her long cloak that she had left there. Clipping her lightsaber to her belt she ignored Luke deliberately, or so he thought.

"And why have you truly come?" she asked suddenly, her tone too light, hiding her nervousness. And nervous she was, that he could feel.

"To talk," Luke answered and started walking towards her slowly.

"Just that?"

Whirling around she faced him again and this time the coldness in her stance was unmistakable. The young Jedi stopped short, trying to understand what exactly was going on with her.

"Well. Yes."

"And what about?"

He shrugged again: "Whatever."

"Small talk?" Nuron snorted and shook her head. Heading for the door she was smiling to herself.

"Nuron," he called her softly and she looked over her shoulder at him questioningly

.

"What?"

"Whatever you do, consider the consequences. Revenge and unforgiving are the way to the dark side and I think I understand enough of the Sith to know that the dark is not _your_ way, Nuron."

She did not answer, but her eyes flickered for a second before she turned back towards the door and left without looking back again. Luke bit his lower lip in frustration. He had not intended to come up here to lecture her at all. But it was strange how just being around her shook him off-balance and confused him. Shaking his head he smiled. Confusion was not for the Jedi. He would have to talk to her properly. And soon.   
  
  
  


Wrenga Jixton was furious. Not only had Vader chosen to ignore him, no, he was also taking Jay Gerran with him, of all people. Jay Gerran, that pathetic wimp who would faint at the mere sight of an enemy Star Destroyer, let alone stormtroopers. What had the Dark Lord thought to accomplish with that? Yes, of course Jix understood that his being left behind was some sort of punishment, but it was true, this trip would be dangerous.

"Jix, calm down," the Princess admonished him yet again.

He was pacing her office, striding up and down the length of the room like a caged animal and he was surprised at how tolerant she had been so far. But then, she probably thought that she had to make up for her father's arrogance.

"Calm down? Thrawn will never agree to any deal with him, you know?"

She sighed: "And don't you think that my father has considered that too?"

"Sure, but I just know that this will go wrong somehow. Thrawn is not someone who will grant him any advantage just to be cordial, as he has already proven. They are not playing anymore. This is serious business."

"You don't say."

"And besides, even your father will be hard-pressed to stand against the Relentless all alone. And don't tell me that he has Gerran with him, cause the man is more of a curse than a blessing"

"He doesn't need a bodyguard."

"No? We'll see about that!"

This time Leia actually smiled at him: "You know Jix, your protectiveness is a bit exaggerated."

"Protectiveness? Don't come to me when it is too late. I am warning you. Thrawn is not playing fair."

"Why should he? It is not as if my father is playing fair either."

"Then you know what he is planning?"

"No. But from experience I would guess that it is something nasty."

"Then let us just hope that it will not back-fire on him."

"If it comes to that, Jix, you have my permission to interfere. Until then I just want you to calm down and relax. We will leave for Coruscant tomorrow."

"Fine. Coruscant. Haven't been there in a long time. Great."

"Jix."

"What?"

"Shut up."   
  
  
  
  
  


Three days had passed since their arrival on Nar Shadaa and Han Solo was getting impatient. Shug had not been able to retrieve the information he had promised so far and the Corellian had almost resigned any hope of getting it at all. And to make matters worse, Karrde had abandoned him and Chewbacca under the excuse of dire business he had elsewhere in the city. Right now Han and his Wookiee friend were walking along the merchants' district conducting their own search. The Falcon was prepped up nicely again, but Solo had vowed not to leave before he did not have something. When suddenly alarms started wailing throughout the city though his face turned sour. And Chewbacca roared angrily at him, making it very clear that he did not appreciate the mess his friend had gotten them into at all.

"Cool down, buddy. It's just an Imperial Star Destroyer," Han said sarcastically as Chewie dragged him into a side corridor, nagging on. "And besides, there is nothing more refreshing than a few Imps on our trail, dontcha think? No? Well, suit yourself."

When the Wookiee let go of his arm abruptly, turning his indignant face down on him Han knew that he had made a mistake. Chewbacca huffed something and left, vanishing in the darkened hallways.

"Hey! Wait! I didn't... Oh, well. I don't need you, you know? I can do this all by myself."

Storming off in the opposite direction his friend had taken Han was fuming inwardly. The alarms could only mean that the Chimaera had arrived, probably with a very upset Captain at the helm. He did not know exactly how much damage the Executor had inflicted on the much smaller ship, but apparently it had not kept her from following the two freighters here. Just as Thrawn had predicted.

The warship was probably just now deploying its troops to search for them down here. Maybe he should get back to Shug's shop after all. To his surprise the alarms ceased their angry howling pretty soon. Suddenly breaking into a faster trot, Han started cursing under his breath: the Captain did not even have to send his own troops down here. This was Nar Shadaa, after all, and on this planet everyone was out for a profit.

"There you are," Karrde greeted him coolly. "Do you know that the Chimaera has just declared Nar Shadaa to be under military order? That is, if they do not deliver our heads to the Captain in the course of 24 hours." Han scowled at him fiercely. "Oh, you know already? Good. Maybe now we can get out of here?"

"We still don't know what the Relentless was doing here," Han hissed angrily.

"You want to wait for Captain Palleon to tell you, in an interrogation cell, perhaps? Go ahead. But I _am_ leaving."

Chewbacca wrapped his friend in a protective embrace that was just the tiniest bit too tight for Solo's taste: "Alright, alright. I get it. Let's go then."

"So glad you agree. Let's go gather our teams."   
  
  
  
  
  


Mara stepped off the shuttle's landing ramp gingerly, following Thrawn and trying to keep an eye on their surroundings at the same time. They had touched down at the edge of what passed as a city on this planet, a sad assembly of houses huddled together at the foot of Mount Tantiss, their original goal. The mountain rising majestically into the stormy sky above Wayland brought back memories. Palpatine had taken her here once, showing her the whole facility honey-combing the stone. Treasures, memorabilia and other, more useful things. If Coruscant should ever fall the Emperor could easily rule from this planet. Only a very few agents had known the planet's coordinates and she had always been proud to belong to the few select. But not anymore.

The mountain though was not the only source of her growing uneasiness. Just as the Grand Admiral she wore a nutrient cage strapped to her back and she could feel the Ysalamiri's cool reptilian skin rub rubbing against her neck. It almost made her wish that she had not chosen to put her hair up. Too late for that. Holding on to her blaster she studied the fifteen stormtroopers marching out of the shuttle's belly critically. They too were equipped with nutrient cages.

Next to her Thrawn was patiently waiting for everyone to take their assigned places before he gave the sign to advance on the village. Noone was about and Mara cursed the Ysalamiri on her back, for she had no possibility to determine if anyone was here at all. But one of the troopers was already scrutinizing the readout of the heat-detector he wore instead of an Ysalamiri. Looking up he held up his hand, indicating one target.

Mara took a deep breath. They were supposed to meet Vader here somehow, but knowing the Dark Lord, she was sure that he had prepared some surprise for them. As they marched down the single main street in good order, they gradually became aware of the ghostly silence permeating the village. As they neared what seemed the major plaza Mara frowned. Looking over at the Grand Admiral, she saw him purse his lips thoughtfully, then hold up his hand, signaling for everyone to stop. They stood there motionless, listening to the wind sighing in the forest surrounding the village. Nothing stirred at all.

"According to our sources the Emperor left a guardian behind to protect Mount Tantiss," Thrawn explained softly.

"A Dark Jedi?" Mara asked just as quietly. She had never heard of that tale and it made her suspicious.

"Probably."

"Do you think he's still alive?"

"Maybe, maybe not. That rather depends on whether Lord Vader got here ahead of us, don't you think?"

"Perhaps they will be teaming up against us."

"No, I don't think so. Come on."

The Grand Admiral started walking onward again, toward the single building dominating the plaza, its rough wooden doors hanging slightly ajar in the crumbling stone-frame. Mara's uneasiness grew. They had not detected anything indicating the presence of another ship on the planet. So they had to assume that the Dark Lord was not yet here, or else he had found some means to shield it from their sensors. For instance by hiding it inside the mountain. Which meant that the single presence they had been able to detect was either him, the original guardian or something else entirely.

She took the lead, ignoring Thrawn's surprised face, and slipped closer to the doors. Drawing her blaster she risked a glance through the small slit between the doors which allowed her to at least orientate herself. "Anyone here?" she asked finally, cautiously stepping into the darkened room beyond. Hundreds of candles were burning brightly, scattered over what looked like some sort of altar, a huge stone slab raised on a stone pedestal. Mara had to admit that it did look quite impressive. Behind her she could hear the Grand Admiral draw a sharp breath. "This looks like a tomb," he commented finally, his voice echoing strangely in the confined quarters.

"And indeed it is a tomb."

Both Mara and Thrawn turned around at the sound of this new voice. The stranger wore a long hooded cloak hiding his face, but Mara had a hard time not to blurt out his name. Instead she tried very hard to make herself seem tense and suspicious when the Grand Admiral looked at her, as if for reassurance. Well, he would not get it from her. This was not her game, after all.

"We bring you greetings from the Empire," Thrawn began pleasantly, but there was a hint of questioning in his tone.

"The Emperor is dead," the stranger replied harshly, turning around to leave the house. They followed him into the open where he snorted contemptuously at the fifteen stormtroopers shifting nervously on their feet. "Call back your watch-dogs, Grand Admiral. And tell me what you want."

"We were told that there would be a Guardian waiting for us."

"Really. And who do you think you have found in me?"

"Will you lead the way then, Guardian?"

"Only if you are willing to follow," the stranger replied coldly and Mara could almost see the mocking smile on his lips.

Thrawn frowned deeply at the other man, but gradually his expression smoothed again until it did not reveal any emotion at all. Nodding once he gestured for the guardian to take the lead. When she was sure that there were no eyes on her Mara shook her head slowly. Guardian indeed! She really had to admire the Dark Lord for keeping so calm even surrounded by Ysalamiri. She wished that she felt only half that confident.

For an hour they walked in silence up the mounting slope towards the facilities' main entrance. The huge blast-doors did look intact and untouched and opened smoothly at their approach. The former Emperor's Hand felt memories flood back into her mind, how awed she had been at the sight the first time Palpatine had taken her here. But the Grand Admiral did not seem to be fazed at all by the sheer grandeur of the facility.

"We are looking for something special," he explained to their guide, who was marching ahead without looking back once. Now tough he turned to face Thrawn again.

"I know why you are here," he hissed dangerously.

"Of course."

Whirling around again he quickened his pace, leading them along dimly lit hallways towards what seemed to be a turbo-lift. In front of the double-doors he waited for them patiently, then called up a car. Striding into the confined cylinder he shook off the hood of his cloak and smiled at Thrawn. The Grand Admiral stared at the stranger's scarred face with curious interest before he returned the smile pleasantly. Since there was not enough room to accommodate everyone they split up and the guide gave the ten troopers remaining outside a sharp nod: "Two levels down." And with these words the doors slid close again and the car began to move. Up. Almost immediately the five troopers with them moved for their weapons, but Thrawn raised his left hand to calm them down, his glowing red eyes intent on the guardian.

"Let me ask you a question," he began, seemingly unconcerned. "If you knew that Palpatine was dead, why did you not rejoin the Empire?"

"Rejoin the Empire?" The tall man's low laughter sent shivers down Mara's spine. "Palpatine _was_ the Empire. There was no reason to return."

"We could use your services nevertheless."

"Indeed. Unfortunately I am not certain if you can give me anything that would be worth giving up what I have now."

The car stopped with a sudden lurch and spilled them out onto a gangway leading deeper into the mountain. Towards the throne room, Mara remembered.

"Maybe you would want to reconsider?" Thrawn was just asking.

"No, but I think that you should."

At the Grand Admiral's collar his comm began beeping urgently. Flicking it on with an annoyed glance Thrawn turned away a bit:

"Report."

Listening to the trooper on the other end the alien admiral's face turned darker with each passing moment. Finally he whirled towards the rest of the group and strode up to the tall guide angrily:

"Enough of your games, my Lord. My troops report that the treasury has been destroyed and the scientific facilities are ruined. And they have found Jay Gerran in one of the experimental cloning tanks."

"Ah. Did I fail to mention that? I _am_ so sorry."

For a second Mara was sure that the Grand Admiral would go for the other man's throat. Calming himself visibly, he shook his head, his lips drawing back in a silent snarl:

"Nevertheless you lose."

"Lose what, Thrawn?"

"The game, the war, whatever. You choose."

"I have not even made my move yet."

"Too late for that now."

"Not at all."

"Come on. We both know that you came here to surrender."

The Dark Lord simply laughed again. Shaking his head slightly Thrawn unholstered his blaster, setting it on stun.

"You agreed to meet with me and you want to tell me that you did not anticipate this? I am a bit disappointed, I have to admit."

The other man smiled: "You are beaten already, Thrawn. Have been from the very first day you arrived on Coruscant."

"Really. I am anxious to hear in what way."

Leaning forward the tall warlord raised his eyebrows and his blue eyes were burning with an icy fire:

"You know who I am, Thrawn. Did you really think that I would let those fools win? No.   
I have different plans."

"And what would those be, _Lord Vader_?"

"Do you realize why you have been called back?"

"Tell me."

"To get you out of our way, into my reach.Where I could play you off against both the Empire and the Rebellion."

"I see. What a devious move, to force those incompetent fools of High Command into recalling me from the Unknown Regions. That was, after all, the only reason for that ominous journal entry about a supposed threat, wasn't it? You were referring to yourself."

"Myself? Oh no."

"Then why?"

"Your people, Thrawn. We do not need any competition."

"We?"

"The Sith?" Mara answered in his place, incredulous. "Are you serious?"

"Very good, Jade."

Thrawn's face hardened: "The Sith, you say? I do not understand. Why have me capture you now, this close to winning? It doesn't make any sense."

"Doesn't it? It is very simple, actually. I need your help."

"What?"

"Your help," the Dark Lord whispered, smiling coldly.

Thrawn and Mara shared a frown.

"I am not sure I understand: you first betrayed the Empire, then the Rebellion and now the Sith?" Mara was aghast. No wonder even a genius like Thrawn had some difficulties following the Dark Lord's moves and reasoning.

"Exactly!"

"Why?"

It was Thrawn who answered her question: "Very clever, Lord Vader. Indeed. Your plan was to destroy the Sith all along. Am I right?"

"Yes. You are good, I have to grant you that."

"Thank you. But why should I help you at all? I could just as well get the information I need to defeat both the rebel troops and the Sith without your consent."

"Defeating the Sith might not be as easy as you think."

"I have captured you."

"Only because I wanted you to."

"Really?" Gesturing towards the slim-bodied reptile dozing quietly on his back Thrawn raised his black eyebrows coolly: "They may be warriors, but without the Force even they can be defeated."

The Dark Lord shook his head slowly. Smiling down at Thrawn he looked at him curiously:

"That was a mean trick you tried back there with Needa. You had him tortured, anticipating me to shield him from harm and then tried to trap my mind with the Ysalamiri. Gerran told you of that trick. But you forgot that it was me who told him in the first place. I wonder, what would you have done if you had succeeded?"

"I daresay you would not have lasted long against my questioning."

The tall man smiled:

"Maybe. Had you reacted earlier you might have had a chance. But did you really believe that Palpatine would have let anything survive that could have become a direct threat to himself?"

The Grand Admiral raised his head, looking into the other's eyes questioningly: "They do not affect you?"

"I did not say that. They do hamper my perception immensely. Still, if I choose to kill you, you and your troops _are_ dead."

"I see."

"Good. Because I have an offer for you."

"Tell me."

"Your life for that of the Chiss, your people. You said that you know me. Well, I know you too. And furthermore I know the Unknown Regions as well as any other part of this galaxy. It is a very dangerous life out there."

"So?"

"I chose you as my opponent for a reason, Thrawn. Being here, now, you are leaving your people unprotected. Yes, you might tell yourself that they can take care of themselves but they have never faced the Sith. And they will, if you do not prevent it. As for Coruscant, even if I did agree to join you the capital will be in the hands of the Alliance very soon. And they will not hesitate to sacrifice me. But they will hunt you down, you and your people. Fear, Thrawn, is a very useful weapon. And fear you they do, as they fear me. In the unlikely event that they should lose you would still have me to deal with. Your first mistake was to misjudge me and my ego. Had you returned to Coruscant instead of coming here you might have been able to change the outcome of this war. But no more. You have made your choice and now there is no way back. I beg you: do not make another mistake now."

The Grand Admiral gritted his teeth in an effort to regain control over his emotions, but Mara could almost feel his anguish. It was true. Palpatine had seen the alien commander's potential and when the Chiss had exiled the over-eager warlord the Emperor had made his move, giving the ambitious Thrawn his own fleet to command. The ties between the Chiss and the Empire had remained loose even then, if only because the Unknown Regions were too far away for even the Emperor to exert his control over their worlds. And the place was dangerous, just as Vader had stated. Very much so. The Chiss did not need yet another threat to deal with and especially not the Sith.

"What do you want from me?"

The Dark Lord spread his arms in a gesture meant to soothe the Admiral's temper.

"I cannot take on the Sith all by myself. We have to work together in defeating them."

"You said that before," Thrawn replied coldly. "But how are you going to accomplish that?"

"Once they see their precious plan fall in on itself they will panic. And that is when you will strike. With their senses focused on this new threat they will not realize that the real danger is lurking in their midst."

"What if they find out about your betrayal beforehand?"

"I daresay that this will not happen. And if it does, good hunting to you."

Mara stared at two warlords in open astonishment. This simply could not be happening. They had defeated Vader and now it turned out that he had trapped Thrawn good and solid. And the Grand Admiral had seen that too. She still could not believe it. For once she was very glad that she was not the one who had to make the difficult decisions, and she did not envy the two of them at all. Although Thrawn had claimed to be loyal to the Empire his heart apparently was still with his people. Mara frowned at Vader deeply. Who was he loyal to? His family? Maybe. But, thinking back on their recent voyage to Nar Shadaa, perhaps this game was not decided yet.   
  


TBC

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=92633
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=97082
   [3]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=108493
   [4]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=116304



	7. Dying Ground

The Art of War

Disclaimer: The usual.

Big, big thanks to Red for her patience and her input and to Kee for her comments. Preivous parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Part 7: Dying Ground

Summary: 

Confronted with the past the Dark Lord makes a fatal mistake and it is now that his mastery is truly tested. If he cannot adapt to the situation, conserve his strength and energy and follow his heart he will die. And even if he succeeds his fate is far from certain. There is only one chance to find out: he has to play the game to the very end.

Standing very still, her arms stretching out from her sides Amidala let the rain wash over her face, soaking her in its warm embrace. She had her eyes closed, imagining that she was on Naboo, and that the spring storms were awakening the plains to green life again. She could almost see the mist steaming off the rolling hills and rise from the swampy forests, shrouding the Palace of Theed into white clouds. She would stand at the window, touching them, teasing her nervous bodyguard, and wait for the winds to blow the mist away again, for the sun to burn through the clouds, painting her face in gold. 

The queen heaved a deep sigh as she let the memories fade and opened her eyes, looking up at the dark sky over Korriban. She blinked the raindrops away that clung to her lashes, smiling a bit. Once Coruscant was secured she would travel there to see her children. She would take them in her arms again, telling them that everything was alright as she had so many years ago, knowing full well that it was not true. The truth was that her husband had deceived her, had deceived the Jedi and had turned into a killing machine out to destroy everything she had built up, everyone she held dear. But not her children, oh no. 

She would protect them. 

"Lady Vader." 

Whirling around Amidala shot Chi'in a relieved smile. But his earnest expression froze it in place.

"What has happened?"

"Lord Kell wishes to speak to you. Now."

"Of course."

They made their way back in silence and she became uncomfortably aware of her wet dress clinging to her body in all the wrong places. The short warrior did not seem to notice. And maybe he was just being polite. Upon reaching the hidden fortress Amidala excused herself, changing hurriedly. He was still waiting outside when she left her room.

"Now I am ready," she announced, just a little bit flustered.

He simply nodded and led the way. Roj Kell was waiting for her in the dining hall, sitting cross-legged on one of the chairs. His long white hair was hanging loose over his shoulders and when he looked up at her they contrasted sharply with the earnest expression on his weathered face. As she came closer his bright green eyes softened a bit.

"Please, take a seat."

Settling down across from him Amidala studied his face with concern:

"What is it? Any news?"

"Indeed. Just as I feared. Apparently Lord Vader has surrendered to the Grand Admiral."

"What?"

He sighed deeply: "Which can mean two things: either he had no other choice concerning the safety of the Noghri or else it was part of his plan all along. From what Nuron told me I have to assume that it is the latter. Which means that he has indeed betrayed us."

"Betrayed?"

"He will move against us. And when he does we will lose badly. Therefore we have to move first. And fast."

"What is your plan?"

It had been some time since Leia had last been on Coruscant. Years, in fact. But, returning now, she knew that this time her words would be taken seriously, contrary to when she had served her step-father in the Senate of the Old Republic. Although that was not so long ago it seemed to Leia as if she had grown by decades over the past months. And she was not the only one. Luke, standing by her side in the broken-down warehouse that had served Jix and Mara as hiding place on their first mission together, was the perfect picture of calm composure. A far cry from the naive farm-boy craving adventure and excitement. The Princess was proud of what her brother had accomplished in such a short time. How much he had matured. 

At his side Nuron was bristling with anxiety and nervousness. She wore her black warrior's outfit defiantly, as if anyone would dare to admonish her about it. Leia smiled at the mere thought of that. The beautiful and deadly alien seemed to have taken quite a liking to Luke and his sister could understand that very well. Nuron was the complete opposite of the young Jedi, but the attraction between them was obvious. And the sight of them together reminded her of how much she was actually missing Han.

"Princess?" 

Turning around Leia smiled at Jix:

"Is everything prepared?"

"Yes. Page and his units stand ready. They are only waiting for your signal."

"Good. Then we should go and pay a visit to the Imperial Palace."

Striding ahead of the group Leia was quickly joined by General Rieekan, who was intently studying the display he held in his hands. It showed a layout of the Coruscant underground and mapped out a way for them to get into the Palace virtually undetected while Page's team would occupy the guards and defenses. Once inside Leia and her companions would play off the public sentiments against the government when the first battle group of the Alliance showed up in the system. Right now Captain Needa was conducting the attacks on Duros and Gyndine and Leia was fully confident that he would succeed not only in rattling the near-by capital but also in drawing some of the ships stationed over Coruscant away before joining the ships under General Dodonna's command. If everything went as planned the conquest of Coruscant would be over almost before it had started and with as little fighting as possible. And when all of this was done they could finally start again. A new beginning. Leia had to admit that she quite liked the sound of that.

Han Solo was agitated They had escaped Nar Shadaa and the clutches of the Chimaera only to find Vjun deserted. There was not one single ship in orbit around the planet and noone greeted them as they descended towards the huge fortress looming on its mountain perch over the plains. The Millenium Falcon and the Wilde Karrde touched down on Bast Castle's main landing pad, but noone seemed overly eager to leave the ships, fearing a trap or something similar. Finally Han and Chewbacca volunteered for a scouting trip and to the Corellian's surprise Karrde insisted on coming along. The three of them walked towards the main entrance, their weapons at the ready. An eerie silence had settled over the complex and the blood-red sky arching over the dark, forbidding fortifications did nothing to soothe their anxiety. 

The huge doors were open and beyond the darkened hallway was gaping like a black maw, ready to swallow the visitors at any provocation. Suddenly the sound of metal feet clanking across the polished floor rang out into the open, freezing their steps. Han raised his blaster, frowning at the shadows. But then he shook his head with a silent laugh: "Threepio!" he called, waving his companions forward. The golden protocol droid lumbered through the doorway, gesturing wildly: 

"Master Solo! Master Solo! Princess Leia left a message for you."

"What message?"

"You are to join her on Coruscant immediately."

"Coruscant? That will have to wait until we can refuel. Come on, let's get inside. Chewie, go and get the others."

When the team had finally settled into the deserted base, enjoying their well-deserved rest, Han busied himself immediately with interrogating Threepio, questioning the droid about all the recent happenings on Vjun. They had found a quiet place in the comm center and Han was lounging in one of the chairs, letting Threepio rattle off his tale. 

"So, they've gone and conquered the capital?"

"Well, I assured Princess Leia that the chances of defeating the Imperial Navy–"

"Who is interested in the odds?"

"Oh. I simply thought to–"

"And do you know where exactly Lord Vader has left to?"

"No. Noone knows that."

"Noone, eh? Not even Leia?"

"If she does she did not share that information with me," Threepio told him indignantly.

"Yeah, alright, no need to burn your circuits out. Let's get this straight–"

Next to Han's elbow the radar started beeping wildly. 

"What is that?"

"A ship is approaching."

"Yeah, professor, I can see that too. Hailing as the Dominator? That can't be right. You said they were all off to Coruscant, right? All of them?" 

"Well, some are involved in the attacks on Gyndine and Duros."

"But there would be no reason for them to return, would there?"

"No, I believe not, sir."

Han stared at the radar a bit longer, then back at the identification of the approaching Star Destroyer that he was pretty sure could not be the flagship of the Alliance's ex-Imperial contingent.

"I think we had better leave."

Standing at the forward viewport on the bridge of the Relentless, Anakin Skywalker had his hands folded on his back, staring out at the planet drawing ever closer as the huge ship glided majestically towards the glowing red ball that was Vjun. By now the Alliance must have pulled out of the system and there would be noone around to disturb them during their preparations for the battle ahead. Although the Grand Admiral had been reluctant to come here he had agreed in the end, if only to find out what exactly the Dark Lord was planning to accomplish by taking such a long way around to their ultimate goal. The reasons for coming back to Vjun were very simple, actually. Anakin wanted to make certain that he knew exactly what and who they were going to face. 

"Sir, unidentified freighters are just leaving the planet."

"Do not bother to hail them, lieutenant," came the Grand Admiral's smooth reply. 

Sitting in his command chair Thrawn had been keeping very quiet throughout their approach on Vjun, and Anakin had no doubts whatsoever that the admiral had spent the whole time trying to figure out what he was going to do here. He could literally feel Thrawn's eyes burning into his back. 

"Karrde and Solo," Anakin sighed finally, turning around. "Undoubtedly looking for some refuge after you scared them off Nar Shadaa."

The Grand Admiral did not reply. By his side Mara Jade gave the Dark Lord a weak smile.

"But their leaving now tells me that the Alliance has indeed succeeded. They will be heading straight for Coruscant."

"Lord Vader, would you tell me what exactly we are doing here?"

"No. Not yet."

A shuttle brought them down to Bast Castle and if Mara or Thrawn were impressed they did not show it. Not that Anakin cared. Walking ahead he made his way straight towards the room Nuron had occupied during her stay. Scanning it closely he frowned when he found nothing out of the ordinary. 

Finally he went over to the window, laying a hand against the cool glass to trace the whole length of the viewport, searching for a clue with his mind. There was a lot of worry here, and spikes of anger stabbed through the room at irregular intervals. Still, regret and hurt were the most dominant feelings permeating the air around him. Regret. Concentrating more deeply the Dark Lord conjured a picture of what had happened in these quarters most recently, using his senses to create an image that was almost as sharp and true as a holo-recording. When he had seen it all he Anakin was not sure if he should be pleased, angry or sad. Nuron had betrayed him. That was not unexpected, but it hurt nevertheless. 

If she was actually that loyal to the Council, and every fact seemed to hint at that strongly, his children were not safe with her. But he could not warn them. Knowing Luke, he would confront Nuron with the truth and even Anakin was not sure how she might react to that. And Leia? She liked the young Zabrak, but she would do anything in her power to make sure that the Alliance reached its goals. And with what he had taught her he would be surprised if she had not already taken steps to ensnare Nuron, should she choose to betray the Princess' trust. Well. Maybe there truly was no reason to fear for the twins. They could take care of themselves, he knew. Which still left that other matter. The Council might have realized by now what game he was playing at but there was no need for them to know that he had already seen through Nuron's betrayal.

Leaving the deserted quarters again Anakin led the way down towards the comm center. Solo's presence was strongest here, not surprisingly. And if anything went wrong, the Corellian's report on Coruscant would grant the Alliance a chance to interfere and prevent any major catastrophe. This last phase of the plan was the most difficult part now. Roj Kell had not become head of the Sith Council for nothing and playing him off would not be easy at all. But the Dark Lord was pretty confident in his abilities and, furthermore, he knew that he could trust his agents, without a doubt, to do the right thing. And that included everyone, even Nuron. The only one he did not trust was the Grand Admiral himself. Maybe it was time to show Thrawn who exactly he would have to face, should he decide to betray the Dark Lord' confidence.

Motioning for Mara and Thrawn to stand back, out of the transmission field, Anakin waited for the connection to be established and when it did he still had to wait until anyone answered the call. It was night-time on Korriban, but time meant little to the Sith, or the Jedi, for that matter. Finally the image swirled into existence and Roj Kell smiled at him expectantly:

"Lord Vader, what news?"

"Coruscant is secured and the Alliance is taking over. There will not be much resistance."

"Excellent. What about the Grand Admiral?"

"He is under control."

"Yours, undoubtedly," the Sith commented with a small laugh. Anakin merely smiled at him. "There still is the matter of the transition of power."

"It has to come slowly. But we have been patient so far and we can hold out a while longer."

"Indeed. But I fear that time is against us. Are you certain that you can trust your allies?"

"Their loyalty is beyond doubt."

Roj Kell's smile deepened: 

"I am fully confident in your plan, Lord Vader. We will speak again soon."

"Yes. Soon."

"Another thing, my Lord: we are well aware of the fact that the past months have been exhausting. 

Therefore I would appreciate it greatly if you took some rest from the battle-front. We are awaiting your arrival and report within the next few days."

"Of course, Lord Kell."

Breaking the connection the Dark Lord remained in his place for a while longer, contemplating the conversation. So, Roj Kell knew what he was planning, or thought he did. And he had just relieved him of command. Well, the last part was a bit unexpected, but no real surprise. Had it been the other way round, he would have done the same, or perhaps something even more drastic. Undoubtedly Roj Kell was entertaining similar thoughts, but unfortunately the Dark Lord was still out of his reach. Anakin knew that the confrontation was inevitable, but he preferred to choose his own battle-ground. If he got granted that chance at all.

"Lord Vader?" the Grand Admiral's voice was as cool and composed as ever.

"Yes?"

"This situation requires a thorough analysis. Apparently this Kell knows that you have deceived him and from your conversation I deduce that you both are aware of each other's knowledge. The question remains though: what are you going to do now? You told me that in case they learned of your betrayal beforehand we would stand as good as no chance of defeating them."

"That rather depends on what Roj Kell is expecting. Right now he believes that you and I are the greatest threat to him."

"We are not?"

"No."

"Would you care to specify?"

"Actually I would rather keep that to myself until I can be sure that you will not try to back out of our deal."

"How could I?"

"So innocent, Grand Admiral? Off-hand I can think of at least six ways and undoubtedly you have already found six more. I do not consider our agreement to be more than a truce."

"I see. Thank you for your honesty."

"I expect the same from you, Thrawn. Now let us get down to the business at hand."

As seemed to have become customary the comm fastened at the Grand Admiral's collar started beeping and as the admiral turned away Anakin threw a glance at Mara. The former Emperor's Hand was regarding him critically, as if she were trying to figure out what exactly he was playing at. They had not talked much so far and Anakin intended to keep it that way. She had embraced her new post with a vengeance and he could well understand her fear that he might take it away from her again.

But he truly did respect Thrawn as a warrior and warlord and he would regret having to sacrifice him. Still, that was exactly what he expected would become necessary. When the Grand Admiral faced them again he wore a grim expression on his face.

"I had deployed a team to keep a look-out for your wife on Tatooine. So far they could report no success."

"And now they have found her?"

"Yes."

"Let them report back every hour."

Whirling around Anakin started walking for the door, but Thrawn's voice held him back:

"What are you doing?"

"I am leaving. And you should get on your way too. Don' t forget the Ysalamiri."

"What?"

"This is supposed to be a trap for me, you see? Your team could find no trace of her because she was on Korriban until now. Her being back on Tatooine only confirms what Roj Kell has just told me: time is against us. But it stands to reason that he will split his troops. He wants me alive, which gives me a good estimate of who he will send to capture me. And while I keep them occupied on Tatooine you can begin your assault on Korriban."

"What if their orders are to kill you?"

"Not your problem. Move fast and try to keep out of my way. I am counting on you there," he added with a small smile.

"I am not sure this will work, Lord Vader. It will not only be risky but also doubtful regarding our achieving victory."

"As I said, I am trusting your insight as Grand Admiral."

"Well. I can see that you have made your choice. Good luck to you, Lord Vader."

"Thank you. May the Force be with you." 

Anakin winked at Mara, who blushed furiously despite trying to prevent it. Laughing quietly at her discomfort, the Dark Lord left the two of them behind to begin his journey to Tatooine. Even though he was fairly certain that Roj Kell wanted him captured he was also sure that the Sith leader would not risk his best on this assignment. Still, he would nevertheless send at least one of the Council to oversee the mission. For Anakin this meant that he would probably have to face Naas Deron, Puket and Cronn, the three apprentices. As for the commander... Well, if Roj Kell wanted to promote his own image in the eyes of the Sith he would send the youngest Council member, Sedriss. Sedriss had always admired the Dark Lord, but that admiration was tinged with envy and competitiveness. So it would make great sense to give the young Councilor a chance at defeating him. Yes. That was probably the setup he would have to expect. Roj Kell would not be so stupid as to include Chi'in in the group. No, he would probably send the Noghri against Thrawn. 

Marching up the still lowered landing ramp of the shuttle that had taken them down onplanet, Anakin checked the fuel and found it satisfactory. He would only have to get to Tatooine after all. Smiling a bit, he settled himself in the pilot chair and powered up the ship's systems. Sealing the shuttle he prepared the lift-off, a feeling of profound peace settling over him. He would see Padmé again. His joy rose to unexpected heights, nearly bringing tears to his eyes as he lost himself in vision of her face, her happiness. Well, not happiness, maybe. She must still be mad at him. But once he had rescued her, they could find a quiet place and just talk. He would explain everything, and he knew that she would understand. Padmé had always understood and she was a politician, a leader. She would realize that his decision had been right and the only one possible in his situation. He would see her again. And that was all that mattered now.

Back on Vjun Mara was watching the Grand Admiral anxiously. He was staring at the door through which the Dark Lord had vanished as if he had just realized something. Something he did not like at all. With a frown he turned back to look at the display-ring where only minutes before Lord Vader had stood, telling Roj Kell that he had Thrawn under control. Mara realized that the conversation which had followed that statement had been so full of hidden meanings and leaden with unspoken threats that the Grand Admiral could not but worry. Roj Kell had made it clear that Vader was running out of time. And the Dark Lord's remark about his allies' loyalty being beyond doubt... Well, if she did interpret that correctly, what he had really meant was that he had no doubts whatsoever that they were not loyal to him at all. As cryptic as that comment might have seemed, Roj Kell had understood and had warned Vader explicitly: we are well aware of the fact that the past months have been exhausting. Mara snorted softly. It should have been: we know that you are weakened. And when you stumble we will catch you.

And now he was heading right into their trap, like a fool. Just because they were using his wife as bait? He had not been so eager when his son had been imperiled on Myrk. In a way Mara found it understandable and yes, it was a different situation. He had known his wife much better and longer than his children, after all. But to lose his head now... As if he did not care for his plan anymore. Mara had always seen the Dark Lord as someone who wanted to control everything, punishing anyone who did not respect his authority. Indeed, he had been like this for all the time she had known him. But apparently that had changed since she had left the Alliance to join the Grand Admiral. Whom he had more or less given all responsibility for the success of this last mission. And that was something else that seemed strange to Mara: did he really trust Thrawn? She doubted it. So far Vader had not seemed inclined to trust anyone, let alone his opponents. Except, maybe, he really did trust Thrawn to do the right thing. Knowing Vader, that could mean that he had taken a possible betrayal into consideration as well. The only question then was who would be the first to deceive the other. 

The Imperial Palace was positively crowded with the press. Journalists and newsdroids were bustling throughout the administrative complex demanding explanations, while outside crowds of people were cheering the new provisory government under Mon Mothma's lead. Standing at one of the viewports looking out over the huge plaza in front of the Palace's main entrance, Leia was smiling. The noise was not so penetrating up here, but she could still hear the hum of approving voices, could feel the joy emanating from the crowds. They had won. And they had not even had to fight for it. 

Turning around sharply, Leia nodded at the three men seated across from her at the conference table. They stared at her unblinking, but that did not really impress her much. It was an empty gesture of bad losers, a defiance born out of anger and helplessness. Taking her place between Mon Mothma and General Dodonna, the Princess busied herself again with studying the treaties they had worked out together to guarantee a smooth transition of power from the sullen triumvirate sitting over there to the Alliance leaders seated at her side.

"Your Highness." 

Looking up she blinked at Jix in surprise. So far he had kept very silent, acting as her bodyguard, and he had not left his post by the door ever since they had started this session two hours ago. Now though he seemed agitated, waving for her discreetly to follow him outside. Excusing herself Leia walked over to him and out of the door. 

"What is it?"

"Stuff the meeting, Princess, we have more important things to discuss."

"What?"

Wordlessly he gestured towards the two men standing not far away, wearing grim expressions on their faces.

"Han!" Leia exclaimed, both surprised and overjoyed. 

Rushing over to him she wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back fiercely. He felt so alive, so bright, and for a second Leia was not sure if she did not only imagine this because she had missed him so much.

"I am so glad you are back. How did your mission go? Page told me you wanted to free Needa and then you had to bail Jix out of being shot down by the Chimaera..."

"Yes, the Chimaera," Han began ominously, his solemn tone dousing her excitement immediately.

"Jix says it's important."

"We ran into Thrawn at Nar Shadaa and that is not even the bad news. He let us go, telling us that the Chimaera was only waiting to get her gunners blasting us out of the sky. And that still is not the worst of it. We escaped, went to Vjun. A Star Destroyer dropped into the system fairly soon after we had arrived, and it was hailing as the Dominator."

"Impossible." Leia frowned, trying to make sense of this.

"Yes, that's what we though too. And then Karrde had this really unpleasant idea. Tell her, will ya?"

"Of course," the smuggler chief said smoothly, a thin smile appearing on his lips. "You see, your Highness, there is only one plausible solution: Thrawn was on Nar Shadaa to acquire a very special tool."

"An ID scrambler," the Princess cut in coolly.

"See? I told you she was good," Han stated with satisfaction.

"Check our fleet. See if there are any anomalies. Double-check the crews. Even if he has only out-fitted the Relentless and the Chimaera with fake IDs, he can still wrack havoc with our ships. We don't want them shooting at each other."

"Princess, if I may?" Jix cut in.

"What is it now?"

"I warned you before that Thrawn would not play fair and this indicates strongly that he has indeed betrayed Lord Vader. With your permission?"

"You want to go after him?"

"Yes."

"But if he is here... I would prefer you to wait until we have investigated the fleet thoroughly."

"By then it could be too late. If we knew what he was planning..."

Leia's head came up sharply: "I know someone we could ask."

"Piett and Needa?"

"Those too. Han, Jix, could you two please take care of the fleet? I have some business that cannot wait."

The two Corellians shared an exasperated glance and then Jix threw her a mocking salute before he vanished, Han and Karrde on his heels.

Luke blocked Nuron's underhand blow easily, sliding his blade along hers to get a better pressure point for wrestling the weapon from her grasp with an elegant twist of his wrists. As the handle flew away, she shook her head fiercely, but it was only a half-hearted gesture. He could feel her pride at his victory, at her accomplishment as his teacher too plainly for it to be anything else. "Good, very good," she said softly and retrieved her blade. "Maybe we will try something else now." But the opening of the door to their training quarters forestalled any continuation of the session. The Sith' yellow eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of Leia's slim form flanked by Needa and Piett. 

"What happened?" Luke asked, shutting down his own lightsaber and clipping it to his belt before he went to join his sister. Leia merely nodded at Nuron:

"We have some questions for her."

"What questions?" he asked, surprised, and turned back to face the Sith again.

She had retreated to the far end of the chamber and her nervousness was over-whelming. Walking towards her Luke shook his head soothingly:

"It is alright."

"Alright?" Leia snapped impatiently: "Father is in danger. If we cannot find him before Thrawn does..."

"What? I thought he wanted to meet the Grand Admiral in the first place."

"Thrawn has apparently acquired an ID scrambler on Nar Shadaa. There is no telling what he is planning to do with it. If Nuron could tell us what Father had in mind for the Grand Admiral..."

"He wants him to move against the Sith," came the warrior's hoarse reply. All eyes turned towards her. "He has deceived us, misused our trust. He used everyone."

Luke had never seen his sister as cold as now when she marched up to face the taller woman, planting her fists on her hips unafraid: "You betrayed him?"

Nuron did not answer.

"Tell me you did not," Luke asked her quietly, but knew that it was true. He had warned her back on Vjun, but too late, obviously.

"I could not do anything else. He was going to take everything from me again," she whispered, her yellow eyes blazing. "But I thought - I thought that he would realize - that he would not have treated me the way he did if he had not planned for that to happen."

"And what if he did not? He trusted you. What he taught you I was taught too, in essence. I know that for sure."

"Luke, you do not know him half as well as I do. I grew up around him, around the Sith. I could compare what he taught me to what the Council expected of us."

"And?"

She sighed deeply and then all tension fled from her. Sinking to the floor Nuron sat there very quietly, looking up at him in silent anguish: "I was envious. He had chosen your sister over me. I though that he did not respect me, that he never had. I was wrong. What he taught me was true, but I did not want to carry that responsibility. I–"

"Nuron," Leia interrupted her, gently. "Where is he now?"

"I do not know. But Thrawn will go to Myrk first before moving against Korriban."

"If he does at all," Needa snorted, shaking his head.

"Thrawn is no fool," the Admiral admonished him quietly. "Even if he does not move against them now he knows very well that an encounter with them is inevitable."

"But the Ysalamiri do not work," Nuron said, suddenly agitated. "He cannot defeat them."

Luke gave her a long look: "Nuron, you are very strong in the Force. Are all the others as powerful as you are?"

She shook her head slowly: "No, not all of them."

"And he can raze the planet from orbit, if he wishes to."

"Yes, you are right."

Piett stepped forward, gaining their attention easily:

"Thrawn would not deceive Lord Vader without good reason since I am sure that the Dark Lord has made some explicit threats to ensure his loyalty in the first place. I think it would be best if I joined the Grand Admiral on the Relentless again. This way I can keep an eye on him."

"Take Jix with you. Or else he will go alone. I do not want that."

"Of course, Princess."

"Good. You have to leave as soon as possible."

"At once."

"Thank you. And please be careful."

The Admiral turned on his heels, leaving hurriedly, and while Leia watched him go she had the sudden feeling that they had been over-looking something important. Tapping her lower lip pensively she stared into the distance blankly, thinking. If Thrawn chose to betray his ally, he would do so only if he was certain that the Dark Lord would lose, if the Sith managed to trap him effectively. Suddenly the missing piece fell into place. Whirling towards Nuron she eyed the warrior suspiciously:

"My mother. Was she a prisoner on Korriban?"

"No," Nuron shook her head slowly. "She was Roj Kell's - guest."

Leia took a step back, aghast. Her eyes sought Luke's and the twins shared a pained glance. 

"Nuron, I want you and Luke to go to Korriban."

"Korriban!" the Sith exclaimed.

"I would go myself, but I fear that I cannot leave until everything is settled on Coruscant. I trust you to protect my brother, Nuron. Take good care of him, alright? And now I think you should prepare for your journey. Captain?"

Leia waited until Nuron and Needa had left before she flew into Luke's arms, her despair getting too much for her to bear alone. She was hanging on to him with all her heart and spirit, seeking reassurance in his calmness. But she could feel that he was shaken too. "Oh, Luke," she whispered into his shoulder, close to tears. "You cannot fail. Please. Bring him back. Bring them both back."

He stepped into the dark room cautiously, ready for anything. Blue eyes searching the shadows, he deliberately avoided the sight of her standing motionless not three meters away from him to shut out any distractions. Finally Anakin stopped pretending not to see her and sighed deeply. Although the years had left their marks on her, she had not lost any of her beauty. Her round, pale face was framed by long, dark hair and her eyes were like liquid amber, sparkling even in the gloom. "Padmé," he whispered and was astounded by how good that word felt on his lips. Smiling, he walked forward, until they were standing so close that he could feel her warmth on his skin without them ever touching. Shuddering with the memory of times long past Anakin closed his eyes and raised his arms slowly. 

He was not sure if she would take that invitation, but when her arms finally wrapped around his waist, hugging him tightly, he thought that his heart might burst with happiness. "I cannot believe this," he laughed, his right hand stroking her head gently, his left wrapped around her shoulder. He never ever would let her go again. "Padmé," Anakin said once more, and there was nothing else he needed to say, except – "I am so sorry, I was such a fool." He buried his face in her soft, thick hair, breathing in the sweet musky scent that he remembered so well. "Oh, Padmé. Can you forgive me?"

Dislodging her arms Amidala stepped back and very suddenly he realized that her expression had never changed at all. "No. And I do not think that you really care," she answered, her voice as hard as durasteel. Anakin stared at her, disbelieving. Taking one step at a time she walked backwards slowly, while he tried to understand why he suddenly felt so cold. She gave him a smile, one that never touched her dark eyes and lifted her right hand towards him, presenting the lightsaber she had taken from his belt. "No," Anakin breathed, shocked. "Tell me you did not do it." He whirled around to face the entrance, the one and only entrance to this room, now blocked by five shadowy outlines. 

So. She had really betrayed him. That revelation hurt and confused him more than he would care for right now, enraging him no end. From a certain point of view she had had every right to do it, of course, but this move was so unlike her. That was not the wise, compassionate queen he remembered. Not his Padmé. "People change," she whispered and Anakin could almost see the cruel smile on her beautiful lips, the vision cutting into his heart deeply. 

When the shortest of the fivesome moved towards him Anakin did not react at first, still too surprised. And Chi'in hesitated for the merest fraction of a second when his target did not respond. That second was all the Dark Lord needed to find his way back into the present. Aiming a kick at the slight alien he immediately dropped to one knee, letting the Noghri warrior stumble over his body as Chi'in evaded him skillfully. Anakin punched him in the face, his knuckles connecting with the other's sharp teeth. Behind them he could feel Amidala wince in empathy. But he had no time to ponder this sudden emotional outburst. Three more warriors had moved in and the Dark Lord raised his hands in annoyance. Sending the five flying to the ground he took a deep breath. This was not what he had expected at all.

The first one back on his feet was Naas Deron. Regarding the Dark Lord coldly the tall human raised his eyebrows mockingly. Anakin knew that Deron and Luke would be nearly evenly matched in potential, but Deron did not use his fully. Still, he was a formidable opponent all by his own. Until now they had merely been playing. And Anakin was almost sure that he would not survive if he did not call up some extra measures. Holding out his right arm, the abraded skin of his artificial hand revealing part of the machinery that made up his limb, he steeled himself visibly. "Give me my weapon back," Anakin growled softly, without looking at Amidala, his voice one of command, promising instant death to anyone who disobeyed it. "Now." There was a rustle of cloth behind him and he simply waited for her to place the cool handle in his palm. 

When his fingers curled around the hard metal cylinder he closed his eyes for a moment, nearly crushing the lightsaber in an effort to control the bleak despair threatening to drive him to his knees. She had betrayed him. He could think of nothing else. Here he was, overjoyed at the prospect of seeing her again at last and she... Anakin shook his head slowly and when his blue eyes opened again he knew that despite reason demanded that he accept her choice he could not do it. She was right: people did change. They both had, apparently. But he could not simply forget what she had done and he had to get his mind off that thought fast before anything happened that he would regret more than everything he had done so far. "Very well, " he said coolly, addressing the five warriors opposing him, "Who wants to be the first to die?"

Amidala crossed her arms in front of her chest and watched the battle unfold. The Sith were cautious in attacking the Dark Lord and no wonder. When he suddenly moved towards them, red lightsaber flashing, his speed alone drove them back in surprise, out of the confined room. She followed slowly. Outside the icy night air caressed her cheeks, painting them red with the cold. Amidala did not mind. Her eyes were fixed on the six warriors engaged in a deadly dance, sometimes too quick for her to follow. She watched Anakin fight with that predatory grace she remembered so well, twisting his body in impossibly beautiful movements, so fast and elegant that she felt herself entranced by the battle despite its deadly purpose. 

Blocking Sedriss' underhand blow Anakin fell back a bit, reassessing the others' positions. Chi'in and Deron flanking him to the left, Cronn standing on his right and Puket nowhere to be seen. Of course, she was behind him. Whirling around the Dark Lord aimed a kick at the Twi'lek's midsection as she launched herself at him. Her battle-scream died when his boot connected and then he shoved her aside to jump out of Sedriss' reach. Avoiding the Sith Lord's blade by inches Anakin rolled over the hard ground and came back up a little away from the group. But Chi'in was already moving towards him, a silent shadow in the starry night. 

"It would be for the best if you just gave up," Sedriss told Anakin, who fended off the Noghri's forceful attack easily. Slapping the alien away yet again the other shook his head fiercely:

"That would be far too easy, don't you think?" he hissed back, concentrating on the tall human apprentice advancing more cautiously. Deron eyed the Dark Lord warily, but when his eyes flickered for a second to check on his master's condition Anakin struck. Naas Deron raised his blade to intercept him, danced out of the way and lashed out, searing Anakin's shoulder.

Moving out of his reach Anakin fell backwards, feinted a blow at the other man, and simultaneously used the Force to rip his head clean off. Defense was the key to victory. In attacking you only exposed your weak points to your opponent. Deron had been a fool to rely on his lightsaber only. And he had paid for it. Whirling towards the remaining four Sith the Dark Lord frowned deeply, then jumped over their heads, landing very close to Puket. Apparently he had no choice but to push the offensive as Sedriss was slashing at him wildly, charging towards him in a violent attack. 

Anakin stepped to the left, seeking to avoid the blade and unintentionally blocked Puket's line of sight. She never saw Sedriss' blade coming. Whirling out of the Sith Lord's way Anakin hammered his own lightsaber down, but Sedriss had anticipated him and avoided death by an inch. Anakin whirled around to fend off any possible sneak attacks while Sedriss recovered on his knees. Feeling a slight pang of guilt at having caused Nuron's apprentice to be killed Anakin knew at the same time that he could not allow himself to become distracted.

But his next opponent had paid closer attention to the Dark Lord's moves. Cronn held out his hands, palms facing the other warrior. Anakin tried to block him, but the Falleen had been prepared. Hit squarely by the other's Force blow Anakin flew backwards and stumbled into the waiting arms of Chi'in. The short alien wrapped his left arm around the Dark Lord's waist, his sharp claws sinking into the other's belly, and held the tip of his lightsaber up to Anakin's throat. Well. With any other opponent he would have had the possibility to knock him out with a blow of his head, but Chi'in barely came up to his breast-bone. Too bad. 

Ripping a deep wound into Anakin's flesh the Noghri whirled him around and shoved him forward. Crashing to the ground hard the Dark Lord found himself pressed down by an unseen force. Struggling against the invisible restraints he managed to rise again, but the remaining three Sith warriors were already gathering around him. Sedriss quickly stepped up to him with a cold smile on his lips and struck. Thrown to the ground again Anakin landed on his back, only to find that Sedriss had followed his move and slashed his blade across the Dark Lord's chest, along his right arm, burning through the cloth and searing his body with deadly precision. 

Valiantly suppressing a scream Anakin rolled around, seeking to protect himself by moving with the blow, but once the other's lightsaber reached his right hand still holding on to his own laser-sword, Sedriss smiled triumphantly and stabbed down, fusing the artificial limb's wires and steel rods effectively. The weapon's handle fell to the ground and the Dark Lord shook his head slowly, gritting his teeth. He had let his guard down. And now the other two had taken the opportunity to slip through his mental defenses. He could not feel the Force anymore. "Surrender or die," Sedriss growled, baring his teeth in a silent snarl, his blade hovering in front of Anakin's face. Throwing a doubtful glance at Amidala, Anakin forced himself to remain calm. "I surrender," he answered finally through clenched teeth. Maybe there still was a chance. Maybe.

The Sith Lord stepped back and Anakin shot him a hard glance. Pressing his left hand over the bleeding wound across his belly he used his right arm to push himself up, cursing the now useless artificial hand. Its numbness irritated him and it was hard to keep his balance. But in the end he managed to rise once again. Closing his eyes for a moment he paused, fighting down the pain from his wounds, but without the Force to aid him it was a futile struggle. Finally Anakin turned towards his captors, his face a cold mask. "So, what happens now?" he asked, looking straight at Chi'in, acknowledging the other's crucial part in the battle. The short warrior drew a sharp breath, obviously pleased at the Dark Lord's approval. But it was Sedriss who answered his question haughtily:

"We will take you to Korriban."

Again it was Chi'in who moved behind him, pulling Anakin's hands on his back gently to bind them. 

As the rest of the group gathered to honor the sacrifices of their fallen comrades the Dark Lord and the Noghri stood a little apart, side by side. But Anakin's gaze was fixed solely on the small woman across from him. Amidala apparently was trying hard to ignore him, but from time to time her eyes sought his and he was not sure what to read in their depths. She had betrayed him and yet she seemed unsure if her decision had been right. There was a hint of defiance in her stance, and fear too. Was she afraid of him or something else? He could not be certain. 

"I am glad that you chose to live," the Noghri warrior said softly next to his elbow.

"Why did you come along, Chi'in? I thought that you, at least–"

"My friend, I have pondered this situation for a long time and in the end my being here prevented greater harm from happening to you. You must trust me on this."

"Why?"

"You taught me a long time to use my insight and to trust my feelings. That is what I did and I know it was right."

"I see," Anakin hesitated a bit before continuing: "I am - sorry for killing Deron. He was your first apprentice, I know, and–" The Noghri's low, hissing laughter interrupted him. "You do not believe me?"

"You never liked Naas Deron much and you never tried to hide that."

"True. Still –"

"His death was honorable and although I regret losing him I would have regretted losing you more."

"Thank you."

"No need for that. Take care. Sedriss will not leave you to rest or heal."

"Where are you going?"

"The Grand Admiral will pay for what he has done to my people. Roj Kell may think that I am following his orders, but in this case what he wants coincides with my wishes too."

"Chi'in. You said that you followed what I have taught you, but now you will let revenge lead your actions?"

The Noghri hesitated: "I will consider this. And you should too."

"May the Force be with you, Chi'in."

"And with you. Master." 

"If you ever call me that again I shall kill you," Anakin hissed angrily.

But Chi'in merely smiled at him and vanished into the night without another word. 

Left behind, the Dark Lord felt just a little bit stunned by the events of this night. He had lost control over his plan, hadn't he? And somehow Chi'in had seen that beforehand and sought to prevent worse from happening. Anakin was not sure he understood his friend's motives though. Had the Noghri not helped defeating him he might have won this battle, regardless of the odds against him. Shaking his head slowly he replayed that thought in his mind: you would have killed them, slaughtered them, lost to vengeance and fury. His jaw locked tight as he remembered cutting down Obi-Wan aboard the Death Star, the countless hundreds of Jedi Knights and Masters he had killed, forgetting himself, forgetting his priorities and everything he had held dear our of sheer desperation. He had been trapped back then, inside and out and the only way to vent his anger and frustration had been to take it out on those he believed had betrayed him. His friends. His mentors. Padmé.

He looked over at her again, calmer than before. Would he have killed her too today, blinded by darkness again, seeking to punish her for deceiving him, for breaking his trust? Probably. No, he was certain of it. Padmé had been the one and only he had never had any doubts in. She had been the Sith' prisoner, or so he had told himself, and by his rescuing her she would have no choice but to forgive him. They would have met not as strangers but as lovers separated for long years, both overjoyed and happy at seeing each other again. Foolishness. He had been naive to think that way. And if Chi'in had not prevented it the shock of that realization and his own rage would have killed her as surely as he was trapped now. Well. He would consider this setback as a warning. Almost he had lost himself again and, remembering Obi-Wan's words, he vowed that he would pass these trials and prove his mastery.

Jix felt just a bit uncomfortable on board the Imperial-style shuttle they had borrowed from the Dominator and there were precisely two reasons for that: first, they were heading straight towards an encounter with Grand Admiral Thrawn, and second, Piett had insisted on piloting the ship. On the other hand, the agent mused as he sat idly in the co-pilot's chair with the Admiral keeping a jealous watch over the instrument panel and the controls, on the other hand Mara was aboard the Relentless. He smiled at the thought of her, always on the brink of action, her fiery gaze and her earnest face, the slight frown seemingly forever imprinted on her forehead as she scrutinized and analyzed everything that went on around her. Thinking about it, he had never met someone quite like her. Well, maybe the Princess came close, but there was something about Mara that made her very special. Something that made him very happy.

"We are about to leave hyperspace. Better strap in."

Awakened from his pleasant daydreaming Jix gave the other man a cool glance, but refrained from replying. This was serious, after all. Abruptly the starlines vanished and they found themselves heading straight for the small planet that must be Myrk. Almost immediately Jix began snapping data at Piett:

"Star Destroyer ahead, hailing as the Chimaera. Two TIE squadrons aiming for us from - down there. Is that the Relentless? Guess so. Wanna take us over?"

The Admiral stared at him, slightly surprised. Jix merely smiled.

"Thank you, Sergeant Jixton," Piett answered finally, the corners of his mouth twitching in quiet amusement when the agent's face darkened visibly. 

Jix had not liked his time with the Imperial Military at all, and apparently Piett was well aware of that. Ignoring the other's hidden smile he turned towards the viewport again, watching the TIE fighters close the distance rapidly. A few warning shots raced past their hull, almost too close for comfort, but Piett kept his course steadily. The shuttle was escorted towards the huge starship looming ahead and Jix noticed that the Admiral had powered down their weapon's system. Rolling his eyes he asked himself if he should not be concerned at the Admiral's trusting nature. 

"Unidentified shuttle, this is the Relentless. What do you want?"

"Ah, Lieutenant Persh. You may inform the Grand Admiral that we wish to come on board."

"Certainly, Cap– Admiral." 

"Thank you," Piett replied smoothly, but Jix could see the concern in his eyes.

"And what happens now?" he asked quietly.

"I am not sure yet. But whatever it is, trust me."

"Okay. As long as you do not try to play me false."

"Jix, if I chose to do so you would not even realize it until too late."

A tractor-beam attached itself to their ship, slowing them down, and dragged them over towards one of the warship's hangars. Piett watched the whole process with growing tension and somehow Jix felt that he should be worried too. A steady stream of transports was descending towards the planet and in regular intervals others would come back up. 

"Seems like they are loading up a lot of those Ysalamiri," he commented before the planet vanished from sight and they touched down gently on the polished deck.

Piett did not answer. He was already on his way to the landing ramp. Jix followed him a bit reluctantly, still in the firm belief that they were walking into a trap. As he went to join the Admiral at the already lowered ramp, they shared a glance and the agent saw his own worries mirrored on the other's face. "Last chance," Jix whispered but Piett simply shook his head and left the ship unhurriedly. A contingent of stormtroopers was waiting for them and Jix studied their rows intently, assessing the weaknesses in the layout and the general atmosphere. They seemed pretty confident that their prey could not escape. Not very encouraging. But the Admiral walked past them unconcernedly, his hands folded behind his back confidently, his head held high. And then Jix got it. 

They were aboard the Relentless, a ship Piett had commanded for nearly a decade. He could see the troopers follow the Admiral's every move and the man truly did not allow any insecurity to shine through. He was in command, he was in control and what was more important, he was back where he belonged. Falling in step behind him Jix had a hard time suppressing a gin. But his good mood died abruptly upon reaching the bridge. Grand Admiral Thrawn was waiting for them. He had taken a seat in the command chair and did not even look up at them at first. Mara stood behind him and a quick smile flashed across her face at the sight of the two newcomers, making Jix feel welcome despite the circumstances.

"Ah, Admiral. I was wondering where you had vanished. But I can see that you have found your place again," Thrawn added with a cold smile at Jix. "Wrenga Jixton, I assume? It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

And that was it. No further comment, nothing. He simply ignored them. Risking a glance at Piett, the agent was surprised to see the Admiral smile. But he did not say a thing. Every bridge officer though had his eyes on him, their expectation almost palpable, as the tension rose to such an extent that Thrawn could not ignore it anymore. He looked up at Piett and frowned.

"Why are you here?" he almost snapped.

The Admiral nodded at him with a cool smile, then walked past him to stand at the forward viewport to look down at the planet underneath. Again all eyes followed him and the Grand Admiral could not but notice this. After a long silence Piett finally chose to answer:

"I could ask the same of you, sir. Of course I know that you have made a deal with Lord Vader, but I am not sure about your sincerity."

Leaning back in his chair, Thrawn steepled his hands in front of his face pensively, but Jix did not like the look in his glowing eyes at all.

"The last I heard of Lord Vader was that he was trusting my judgement in this matter. And in my mind we cannot win now."

"Why not?"

"They know what to expect."

"Then we will just have to surprise them, won't we?"

"I do not think so, Piett. I had ordered my team on Tatooine to report in every hour. They have ceased their reports almost a day ago. Do you know what that means?"

"No. But I am certain that you will enlighten me."

"Charming. It means that Lord Vader is either dead or a prisoner."

"And you want to just leave it at that?"

"I have no other choice. And even though I regret it, my choices concerning you are also limited."

Rising gracefully the Grand Admiral finally turned to face Piett across the bridge and almost in passing he gave the stormtrooper escort who had brought the two of them in a sign to move forward.

Jix reacted instantly. Launching himself at the soldiers closing in around him he only got a brief glimpse of a silent shadow racing past him before everything broke into chaos. He heard someone scream and to his horror it was Mara. Throwing off the troopers he tried to break through to her, but a low hiss brought his attention to the fight going on not three meters away. Mara was half-leaning over the command chair, her face deadly pale, her eyes shocked. She was pressing both her hands to her belly and Jix could see that she was in pain. Right in front of her the Grand Admiral was valiantly trying to fend off the attacks of a short, gray-skinned alien and the Corellian agent was truly astounded at Thrawn's combat skills. He himself would have not been able to follow even half of the warrior's blows, Jix knew.

Although he was quite certain that only seconds had passed since the battle had begun five troopers were down already, and only two by his own hands. The alien moved in a blur, striking at Thrawn one last time, then whirled around facing the soldiers. He stood there straight-backed, but Jix could see that the warrior was ready to explode back into action at any time if need be. Behind him Thrawn was lying on the floor, his glowing eyes closed, and he was wheezing painfully. The remaining troopers immediately brought up their rifles, ignoring Jix, and aimed them at the intruder steadily. He gave them a contemptuous smile and when Mara jumped straight at him he dove underneath her and with a well-aimed kick sent her flying against the comm console. With a murderous scream Jix was by his side in an instant, but an unseen force brought him up short and he grunted at the impact that sat him unceremoniously on his back. The alien warrior was looming over him, one clawed hand raised ready to rip his throat out.

"Jix," Mara called weakly and out of the corner of his eye he could see her struggle to her feet. Noone else had moved, things had happened so fast. But then a cool voice cut into the tense silence filling the bridge, sending shivers down Jix' spine.

"I would advise you all to stand down your weapons," Piett said. Walking up to the Grand Admiral he helped Thrawn rise and sat him down in the command chair. "Get two medics in here. Mara Jade, are you alright so far?"

She simply nodded. Straightening up and turning towards the alien still bent over Jix, the Admiral gave the short warrior a military nod. The other stared at him curiously, then let go of the downed agent and just stood there expectantly. Piett returned his gaze levelly and Jix had to honestly admire the man's courage.

"Who are you?" 

"He is a Sith," Mara hissed viciously as she tried to remain upright. 

Jix rose very slowly as not to startle or upset the alien who merely gave him a short glance before turning his attention back to Piett. Walking over to Mara unhurriedly, Jix wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

"And furthermore he is a Noghri," Thrawn explained in a hushed whisper, sighing deeply. 

The short alien smiled at all of them in quiet amusement, then shook his head slowly. But Piett was not quite finished.

"That still does not answer the question who he is and what he wants. Apart, that is, for making you pay for putting his people in danger," he added coolly with a meaningful look at Thrawn.

"You are right," the Noghri growled softly," that is indeed why I came. But now we seem to have come to an impasse."

"An impasse? In which way?"

"Apparently you are in control and not the Grand Admiral. I wonder why?"

"Grand Admiral Thrawn was just about to make his choices concerning command and the course of action concerning the Sith."

"Ah?" Folding his arms in front of his chest the Noghri turned his head to study the very quiet Grand Admiral more closely: "And what is your decision?"

Pressing his lips together tightly Thrawn glared at him, his glowing red eyes burning. For a second Jix wondered what exactly was going through his head. And when he finally replied it was not what the agent had expected at all:

"You are Lord Vader's confidant, I believe. Which is why you are here instead of Tatooine and I am still alive."

"You truly do deserve the title of Grand Admiral, Thrawn. My name is Chi'in and I indeed serve the Dark Lord. But if I may correct you, I came here straight from Tatooine. Still, you did not answer me. How will you proceed?"

"I hardly do have a choice, Chi'in, is that not so?" Rising unsteadily Thrawn nodded at Piett: "Have the Relentless and the Chimaera set course for Korriban, Admiral. And this is my last order to you," he added quietly with a stern glance at the Noghri warrior. 

Piett's smile already foretold his answer: "I will happily issue those orders, but only if you retain the command throughout this mission."

Thrawn gave him a startled look: "Why?"

"You made the right choice, Grand Admiral. And now you have to see it through."

The hot gales whipped at Anakin brutally as he staggered down the landing ramp onto the slick black stones of Korriban. He had not slept during the entire flight and although Sedriss had finally agreed to have his wounds dressed, he was still running a fever. Now he felt as if everything was swimming out of focus and he could barely see. Sedriss grabbed his left arm hard and dragged him towards the small group already waiting for them. Well, Anakin did not really need his eyes to know who that was. Roj Kell's white hair was contrasting sharply with his black robe and his smile was far too friendly to be true. After a short glance at the prisoner he walked past Sedriss to greet Amidala. They talked quietly as they went past again and Anakin kept his gaze straight ahead furiously. 

Just beyond the Council he could see three red-robed guards standing in a semi-circle facing the entrance to the underground fortress. His brow furrowed deeply at the sight of that, but then, he had not really expected a trial. Sedriss pushed him forward again and the whole assembly followed Roj Kell towards the marked-off site. The Council took their assigned places, completing the circle and then only Anakin was left in its center, swaying slightly. The sound of boots crunching over stone was his only warning before one of the guards scythed his ceremonial staff through his ankles, dropping him to his knees. Biting off a pained scream, Anakin took care not to lose his balance and hit his head too. He remained there stoically, turning his gaze inward, but he could not shut out the voices. And Amidala's laughter.

"Lord Vader, you are accused of treason. Evidence has been assembled against you, but you may speak for yourself to justify your actions," Roj Kell explained solemnly. "The trial begins tomorrow. Until then you will stay here and prepare yourself."

As the group broke up most of the guards escorted the Council back towards the fortress, but Kell remained behind. Anakin watched Amidala leave, talking quietly with Sedriss and Cronn, then vanish into the darkness of the fortress' entrance. When the Sith' black robe gently brushed against his left cheek he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to regain some of his strength. Smiling down at his grim-faced prisoner the Sith Lord reached out to turn Anakin's head up to face him: 

"How much you must have hurt her, Lord Vader. Whatever I told her about you, about what you did, she was so eager to believe everything. I had not expected this to be so easy, you see? She is a queen, a politician, after all. But she never saw the true meaning of my words, never inquired too closely. What lies I told her she saw as the truth and I only had to withhold a few facts here and there, crucial facts that would have slanted the whole affair in your favor, of course. A beautiful, strong woman, Lord Vader. But so easily fooled."

Anakin did not move or answer.

"I hear that you killed Naas Deron and Puket. An unwise move, my Lord. Did you really think that your students would remain loyal to you even though you betrayed them?" Roj Kell shook his head sadly. "Nuron will be too frightened by her failure to come to your rescue. And Chi'in will most probably die aboard the Relentless, valiantly avenging his people." He actually smiled at that. "But that is none of your concern anymore, is it? Your death has been decided already in all but form. But that will change tomorrow. I bid you a good night, Lord Vader. Rest if you can."

Whirling around elegantly Roj Kell walked back towards the fortress unhurriedly and Anakin watched him go with so much venom in his eyes that one of the guards cautiously rested his staff against his neck in a silent warning. Well. He had until tomorrow to think of a plan and by then he would be rested again. For a moment hope returned to him again and Anakin knew that somehow this would turn out alright in the end. 

As it turned out he had not taken into account that Roj Kell never truly meant what he said. Whenever he was close to drifting off to sleep, whenever he wavered in his posture the three guards would keep him awake with blows and jabs, hitting his face and shoulders without mercy, and when morning finally came Anakin was barely able to think straight. His anger was all that kept him awake, a slim blade trapped in the fuzzy realms of his mind, sharp but too weak to break through. Finally he though that he could take it no more.

But then, it was approaching late afternoon, a small procession left the fortress with Roj Kell in the lead, The Council took their places again and Anakin, kneeling on the hard ground, bit his lower lip in furious concentration, trying hard to ignore the slim form of Amidala standing next to Kell.

"Your plan has failed. Jedi."

Anakin's head came up sharply and he ignored the increasing pain as the guard standing behind him pressed the staff against his neck warningly. The Dark Lord's eyes were flashing furiously, but he did not reply to this insult. Remember who you are, he heard Obi-Wan's voice whisper in his mind.

"You betrayed us. Did you really think we would tolerate that? You are a traitor, Lord Vader, and will be treated accordingly."

"I could hardly let the Sith rise again, could I?"

"No? Why?"

"They started this conflict. Palpatine did. I have told you so over and over again in the hope that you would listen to the real meaning of my words. A shame that you did not."

"And now you mean to destroy us?" Kell laughed quietly.

"I have no other choice."

"You will die, Vader."

"Maybe."

He eyed Amidala suspiciously when she slowly came forward to meet him. Her pale face was a mask of cold hatred. He tried not to look into her eyes when she finally stopped in front of him. Wrapping her hands around his head gently, she pressed his face against her soft bosom. Anakin tried to break away, loathing her touch, but she held him tightly.

"Oh no," she whispered, "you cannot escape this time."

"I never should have let you go," he hissed back.

"No," she answered mockingly and then her hands pushed his head back sharply, forcing him to look into her cold, cold eyes. She was far too weak to break his neck, but her violent move surprised and shocked him nevertheless. Coughing he jerked back, nearly losing his balance when she let go abruptly, smiling at him cruelly, and walked back to rejoin the Council. 

Anakin lowered his head, resting his forehead on the ground tiredly, for once surrendering to the despair and grief he felt about losing her. He should have never let her go like this. He had caused her so much pain, had caused her to turn to the Dark Side too. 

Straightening slowly he faced the Council again.

"I am guilty of treason. But I did not betray you more than you deceived me. We are all playing our games, aren't we?" he added ironically. "Or why else did you send Nuron to supposedly save my son?"

"That doesn't matter anymore. I had doubts in your loyalty. Justified doubts as it turned out. Do not try to turn this around. Your fate was sealed by your own words, Lord Vader."

Roj Kell straightened to his full height and the rest of the Council followed his lead. Bowing towards the Dark Lord they accepted his confession. Anakin returned the formal bow with a sharp nod of his own, finally admitting his own defeat with that silent gesture of acquiescence. Kell smiled at him gleefully as he came forward to announce the sentence. 

"We are, of course, grateful for your efforts in moving any threats to us out of the way. Coruscant will be ours at last. But nevertheless you have lost your game."

The simple truth of Kell's preposterous comment hit Anakin with mind-shattering force. He had fought so hard and long. Only to lose now, this close to his goal. It was humiliating and painful, but what hurt him most was that he had only himself to blame for the failure. His foolish pride. Looking up into Amidala's smiling face tiredly he felt himself break down ever so slowly, the weeks, months and even years of constantly fighting finally taking their toll. 

"Lord Vader, by your own words and actions you have renounced your vows to us. You are no longer of the Sith. Our laws demand that you be punished for your betrayal. Yet you have given us much honor in proving your skills over and over again. You are a worthy opponent and will die as such."

Stepping forward smartly, Roj Kell took the handle of his own lightsaber from his belt, smiling a bit. 

Taking his place in front of the still kneeling prisoner he looked down at him with an almost fatherly smile, but Anakin could easily identify the malevolent glee in his eyes. Pressing the handle blade first against Anakin's throat Roj Kell drew a satisfied breath, his right thumb hovering above the activation button.

"Remember, it is only a game," he whispered coldly.

Fixing the Sith Lord with an icy stare Anakin held his head high but did not reply. There was no sense in rising to Roj Kell's challenge. Not at all. And defiance would not help him either. It was true, it was a game, but this time Kell was in control. And he obvioulsy enjoyed it. The roar of landing craft and the whine of twin ion engines broke the atmosphere leaden with anticipation suddenly and brought everyone's attention towards the new threat. Anakin saw Roj Kell's eyelids flutter for a second before a slow smile appeared on his weathered face. Looking down at him again the Sith Lord gave him a mocking laugh:

"I shall take care of this - distraction," he said coolly. "But do not worry. We will continue this discussion afterwards. At length."

And before the Dark Lord could even guess at what was going on, the soldier's ebony staff hit his head with bone-shattering force. 

Amidala's eyes whipped back from watching the sky to the three men standing not five meters away. Her left hand flew up to cover her mouth instinctively when the red-robed guard battered his long ceremonial staff against the side of Anakin's head, spraying blood everywhere. The warlord hit the ground hard, face down, his limbs slacking suddenly and then he just lay there, unmoving. For a long moment time seemed to freeze around her. Her heart caught in the icy hands of despair Amidala fell to her knees, trying to breathe. But her lungs seemed to have stopped working. 

Finally, when she was almost sure that she would suffocate, tears burst from her eyes and a low, pained moan turned into a howl of deepest grief and mourning. She had killed him! Crying soundlessly Amidala hugged herself tightly, unable to forget what she had just seen. But he has deserved it! she wanted to scream. Hadn't he? Her eyes suddenly hardening Amidala let her hand slip to the knife hanging from her belt. Her fingers curled around the finely carved handle and for a moment she could see Chi'in's earnest face in front of her eyes. _For luck_, he had told her, when he had presented the dagger to her before she had left for Tatooine. To betray him. To betray Anakin. Rising slowly she drew a deep breath, fighting down a sudden wave of dizziness. This was it then. Time for choices.

Luke Skywalker ran down the landing ramp of the yacht, not even waiting for it to lower itself fully. He jumped easily onto the black, slick stones, his eyes intent solely on the five men moving towards them. Behind him Nuron drew an angry breath. "The Council," she hissed. "Beware." A hundred meters to their left an Imperial shuttle had touched down gracefully and Luke's heart leapt with joy when he saw Jix and Mara stride into the battle, with white-armored stormtroopers at their heels. A small, dark figure dashed between them, hitting the assembly before anyone else could. Almost immediately the red-robed guards turned onto this new threat, while the Sith had identified the more prominent danger in Luke and Nuron. Both ignited their lightsabers, ready to defend themselves and their friends. The Sith leader gave Nuron a contemptuous glare:

"I should have known that you would follow your master's traitorous ways."

"Then you should have acted earlier and accordingly," she shot back and moved in to engage the Sith Lord.

Watching in dismay Luke let her go ahead while he himself assumed a defensive posture, knowing full well that he was only provoking an attack. And that attack came almost immediately. Two of the Sith warriors slipped around Nuron and the tall, white-haired leader to flank the Jedi Knight. He took a step back, prompting them to follow and anticipated the quick slash from his left, dancing out of the way of the other's blade quickly, moving in a full circle to come to stand at the warrior's right side. 

Swinging his own lightsaber around, Luke stabbed at the man, then reversed the weapon's arc halfway to catch his opponent off-guard. But the other man reacted swiftly and countered the blow. Retreating again the young Jedi slid to his left when the second Sith moved in to take advantage of Luke's engagement with his companion. Pivoting again Luke put his first opponent in the path of the second and evaded another attack. He continued circling the two, always playing them off against each other, until both wore their frustration plain on their grim faces.

Luke merely smiled at them. Suddenly the one standing right in front came at him in a lightning-quick move, forcing Luke to retreat. Barely able to block the warrior's powerful thrust the Jedi concentrated on the more immediate threat for a second and a second was all the other Sith needed to somersault over their heads and come in at the Jedi's back. Ducking in the last possible moment Luke threw himself out of the way, hoping secretly that his opponents would be so stupid and skewer each other. A deadly blade slicing through the air in front of his face showed him the error of his assumption. A third Sith had joined the fight. 

Pushing himself up Luke lashed out at the new threat with the Force, seeking to batter the man down. Staggering back the Sith shook off the attack and moved in again, while Luke quickly climbed to his feet. The sound of mocking laughter filled his ears as he realized that he was trapped from three sides. Setting his mouth in a grim line Luke held his blade in front of him protectively, knowing full well that he would need all of his skills to get out of this alive. 

Anakin came to slowly, tasting blood on his lips. Thank the Force for steel implants, he thought wryly and tried to rise. His head and neck were aching horribly from the impact that would have killed anyone else, except maybe for a droid with a similar reinforced skull. Only gradually did he become aware of the noises around him, screams and curses, the whine of laser bolts and the low hum of lightsabers. "Lie still," a voice growled beside his head and then he felt nimble fingers work the binders around his wrists, setting his hands free again. "Chi'in," he whispered hoarsely, trying to push himself up, but his artificial right arm refused to support him and his left hurt too much. "Stop fussing with me, there is a battle to fight," he admonished the Noghri angrily, his frustration at being unable to move getting the better of him. "I know." Raising his head shakily Anakin fixed him with a cold glare: "Then what are you waiting for?" Backing off Chi'in simply gave him a nod and darted away. 

The Dark Lord took a careful look around and noted with some satisfaction that his agents were getting the better of the Sith guards. Jix and Mara were engaging the red-robed warriors in close combat alongside Cronn, the threesome moving swiftly through their tight rows and a contingent of stormtroopers took down anyone who escaped the fray. Stormtroopers? Anakin's eyes widened in incredulous surprise. Maybe he had misjudged Thrawn after all. But then his eyes fell on Nuron, who was valiantly trying to fight off both Sedriss and Roj Kell. Nuron. If she was here then Luke could not be far. Hunting around wildly he spotted his son standing amidst the remaining three Sith Lords with nowhere to go. 

Anakin issued a low moan and willed his arms to work. He had to help him! But he needn't have bothered. Chi'in was already on his way, forgoing his lightsaber for using his knifes, much better suited for close combat than the laser-sword. Heaving a sigh of relief, Anakin turned to see Nuron fall back, clearly injured. Roj Kell calmly shut down his blade, while Sedriss moved in for the kill, a gleeful smile on his face. Gathering the Force around himself quickly Anakin struck, stopping Sedriss' advance in midstride. The Sith's expression turned from victorious to utterly astounded as his neck was snapped with a sharp sound that could be heard almost across the whole battle-field. 

Roj Kell turned towards Anakin, ignoring both Nuron kneeling before him in pain and the Sith' body tumbling to the ground lifelessly. A satisfied smile spread on his lips as he strode towards the downed Dark Lord, who rose slowly, knowing full well that his current condition and the use of the Force had drained nearly all of his strength. His long, white hair playing in the wind the Sith Lord stopped a few paces from where Anakin stood on swaying legs. They faced each other in silence, blue eyes meeting green ones and both knew that only one of them would survive. And somehow Anakin had the feeling that this one would not be him.

Flicking out his right hand almost contemptuously Roj Kell broke through Anakin's feeble defenses easily. The Dark Lord shook his head violently, as if it were possible to physically break the invisible noose that had been fixed in place around his neck, choking him slowly. Letting his hand fall back to his side Roj Kell took a few steps towards his struggling prisoner, standing him up straighter by raising the unseen Force-rope that held the other man tightly. Black spots began dancing in front of Anakin's eyes when his feet left the ground, leaving him hanging two inches above the black stone. His valiant efforts to bring himself back under control and to keep on fighting where rendered moot by the impossibility of keeping his focus against an utterly exhausted mind and body and the lack of oxygen. 

"So persistent, Lord Vader, and so stubborn. Why do you still fight it? You have condemned yourself to die when you first started playing the game."

"Wrong," Anakin gasped, shaking his head slowly. 

"Then you truly were hoping to win? Astounding. And preposterous."

"It was, in - the beginning. But I have beaten Palpatine, and - Thrawn. As I will defeat you too, in the end."

"In your fondest dreams, Lord Vader. You will die. It is that simple."

Completely intent on the Dark Lord Roj Kell did not even notice Amidala coming up behind him until it was too late. And when he finally caught on and turned around to face her Anakin struck again, slicing through the Sith Lord's mind with a vengeance at the same time that Amidala brought up her knife, burying it to the handle in Roj Kell's chest. Anakin saw the Sith Lord's body stiffen and fall and for a second he regretted that he had not been able to kill Kell himself. Amidala stared down at the white-haired Sith leader sliding to the ground before her for a long moment. But when she raised her head again the look in her amber eyes was frighteningly cold and for a second Anakin felt his mind freeze in panic. But then his knees hit the ground, clicking his jaw shut.

Kneeling there, fighting to remain conscious, Anakin swayed slightly, but could not stop staring up at her, despite feeling dizzy. She was looming over him now, her face torn between anger and despair, her amber eyes flashing in open pain:

"Now tell me why," she hissed, holding the knife's handle in a death grip. Her hands were shaking.

"I had to. I knew what he was planning and if Palpatine had ever found out you would never have survived."

"Stop!" Padmé yelled at him, then tried to calm herself visibly, "You are telling me that you deliberately used me, used my feelings, to push your foolish little game forward, a game you lost, Anakin." Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and turned away. "You lost."

"No, you misunderstand, I only wanted to explain. You asked me why and I –" 

The knife fell from her hands, its blade clattering on the slick stones. When she spoke again her voice was barely a whisper:

"No more, Anakin. You are only making things worse."

Straightening up Luke could not take his eyes from the two people standing too far to overhear their conversation. But when his mother turned away he knew that something bad had happened. Heaving a tiny sigh he started walking towards them, but someone held him back. Nuron's yellow eyes were, as always, unfathomable, but there was something about her that made Luke stop despite himself.

"Don't go," she asked quietly. 

Looking back at his parents Luke saw his father rise with difficulty, nearly stumble over Roj Kell's body and follow his wife slowly. Well, maybe he was not needed there after all. Chi'in moved quietly to stand at Nuron's side, touching her right arm where Kell's blade had cut through. "You fought well," he said softly, with fatherly pride and she smiled down at him, nodding slowly: "Thank you."

"Hey, kid, you alright?" Wrenga Jixton did look the worst for wear, his face and arms decorated with cuts and bruises, but then, Mara did not look any better. She was sitting on the ground at his side, breathing hard.

"Yes, I am okay. You two did very well."

"Well, we had some help," the Corellian admitted quietly. 

Luke turned his head to follow Jix' gaze. Not far away Nuron had joined Chi'in at Cronn's side. The Falleen was beyond help, the young Jedi knew, and it would not do to disturb his friends' mourning at this time. 

"What are we going to do now?" Mara asked finally, her eyes haunted. 

She had been through a lot over the past few months. Luke did not envy her, not at all. Sighing deeply he bent down to pick up his lightsaber:

"Maybe we should just go home."

"Padmé," Anakin called softly, close to tears. 

To his great relief she stopped, but did not face him again.

"I know what has happened to you. And I know that there is a way for you to overcome it. I found it. And you always were the stronger of the two of us, you can do this too. You must find your inner strength again, regain your balance. I beg you, Padmé." Pausing to catch his breath Anakin fought down a wave of sudden nausea, "Please."

Still, there was no answer. He could see her hugging her arms around her slim body, shoulders shaking. She was crying. And before he knew it tears were flowing down his cheeks too. 

"Please," he whispered, "Come back to me."

When she whirled around her eyes were even darker than the sky over Korriban. Two long strides brought them face to face and when she reached up as if to touch his face Anakin flinched back instinctively from the anger and hatred emanating from her very soul. Her lips parted slightly and for a second he thought that she might say something, and his mind leapt forward hungrily to hear any words out of her mouth: an accusation, her forgiveness, anything. But they never came. Instead he felt despair flood her mind and a tiny gasp broke the spell and then she turned again to walk away. Away from him.

Stunned he watched her go. Finally he lowered himself down to sit on his haunches, completely exhausted, his mind tumbling. The sound of boots crunching over the stones behind him caught his attention. But he did not look around. 

"Maybe I could talk to her," Luke offered. 

Anakin shook his head slowly: "If I cannot bring her back, noone can."

Much later, back aboard the Relentless, Luke sat by his father's side, watching him. "You need some food," he suggested finally, not bothering to hide his concern anymore. Looking at him out of dead eyes Anakin snorted weakly. "Then drink something at least!" His father shook his bandaged head with determination. His face had turned an ashen gray and Luke understood that he was far too exhausted to do anything. "Do you want me to help you with a healing trance?" Again a negative. Luke sighed. 

Finally making up his mind he stood and left, only to return a few minutes later holding a cup in his hands. Anakin wrinkled his nose in disgust at the strong smell wafting over to him. 

"What is that?" he demanded. 

"Something to help you sleep." Their eyes locked in silence. "Come on, Father, you cannot resist me now," Luke told him good-naturedly and held the cup to the other's dry lips. 

With a tiny sigh Anakin gave in and took one long sip before settling back on his bunk. Luke frowned a bit, but did not protest although he was quite certain that so small a quantity of the sedative would not really work. When he could feel sleep slowly overcome his father's mind though, he rose again, smiling in satisfaction.

Turning around he saw Nuron leaning in the doorway. "Have you been able to get some rest?" he asked her quietly and left the cabin, prompting her to follow him into the hallway. 

She snorted softly and shook her head: "We need to talk. And I am quite sure that noone will be able to sleep tonight. Except for him." Luke shot her a questioning glance: 

"Talk? What about?" 

She shrugged: "A lot of things, I guess." 

"Small talk?" 

Nuron laughed: "Maybe."

She had finally fallen asleep. Resting his chin lightly on the top of her head Jix could feel Mara relax in his arms. Her hair was brushing against his neck softly and he hugged her closer, very gently, as to not wake her up again. They had talked for hours, about what had happened back on board the Relentless, about the Dark Lord mostly. And about hurt. Although he was not Force-sensitive in any way Jix had been able to feel her pain as if it were his own and he was bearing with her even now. She had been thrown from one emotional chaos into the other, never knowing who to trust and where she belonged. Her world had been shattered and in its place a darker place had grown. And now Jix was seeking to get her back into the light. He knew that it would take time not only to heal her physical wounds. Sighing deeply he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. In a way he was better off because he was not only older but also more experienced in the ways of the game. He had worked for Vader long enough, after all. Mara was strong, he knew, but her strength had been tried harshly during the past months. Despite everything though Jix knew that she had come out of the fire even stronger. They all had, in a way. 

A soft knock at the door brought his attention back to the present and as he gently dislodged himself from Mara he quietly wondered who would be calling this late at night. Walking over to the door cautiously he rubbed a hand through his long hair, shaking his head a bit muzzily. Waving the nightly visitor in he offered him a chair. The Dark Lord was looking at Mara thoughtfully, but he did not move to take the seat or speak. Finally Jix decided to break the silence:

"It would be just like you to scare everyone like this and then recover within a few hours just to annoy us," he told Vader pleasantly, but his comment apparently went right over the other's head. "Any reason why you came?" he asked when he still got no reply.

"I could not sleep and I wanted to talk to you."

"Talk. Right. Go ahead."

The Dark Lord sighed and dropped into the previously offered chair heavily, gaining himself a reproachful look from his agent:

"I was thinking about what to say all the way here and now I find that there is nothing that would be sufficient to express what I want to tell you."

"How about 'thank you'?"

"Jix. You know what I mean. I have been - selfish - and I did not care what any of you thought or felt. That was wrong. All of you were hurt in some way and had I really been who I thought I was I would never have let it come to that."

"Now you listen here–"

"No, Jix. It is true. There was a lot to learn for me."

"And did you?"

"I think so, yes." His head came up and Jix almost flinched at the look in his eyes. "What about you, Jix? What did you find?"

He glanced over at Mara and found her awake. Her emerald gaze was fixed on the Dark Lord and for a moment he did not dare to disturb that picture. But then Mara rose slowly and he could see tears in her eyes. Jix almost went over to wrap her in his arms again, but something told him that he should stay out of this.

"Who taught you to play this game so cruelly?" she asked finally, her voice barely audible.

"Your master, Mara," Vader replied and Jix wanted to kick him for his unfeeling answer.

But she did seem to take it rather well. Hugging a pillow to her chest she met the other's cool gaze defiantly. For a while none of them said a word. But in the end the Dark Lord rose with a sigh and went towards the door. He threw one last glance back at Mara and smiled:

"Back on Hoth I told you that you were the best for the job of defeating me. Do you know why? Because I was looking to you for an example. I felt the same way you did. I had no place where I truly belonged. And you showed me strength I thought I never possessed. I want to thank you for that, Mara. Sincerely. And for keeping your head in the presence of a Grand Admiral. Not many people are that confident. Except for Jix maybe."

And then he was gone.

Chi'in was standing alone in the lower conference room and planets were whirling around his head in a never-changing dance. He seemed transfixed by the sight, but not so much that he did not sense the presence approaching him. Turning around he calmly looked up at Anakin and smiled. 

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, really," the Noghri replied with a shrug. 

"Nothing? You doing nothing? Truly astounding."

"And what are you doing up and about? You should be resting." 

"Making amends, I guess. I underestimated you badly, Chi'in. But with everything that was going on I did not even think about that possibility. You never liked the game and you told me once that you may be a hunter but that there is more honor in the chase than in cowardly trapping the prey."

"But I always listened to your teachings, my friend. And when I saw that you would trap yourself I gave you a way out."

"Thank you for taking care of Amidala."

Chi'in shook his head gravely: "It was nothing. She too was caught in her own web of pride and vengeance, like you had been. You are so much alike, do you know that? Try not to lose her again, Anakin."

"Don't you worry about that."

"Have you talked to her since–"

"No. I wanted to take care of other things first."

"You are afraid of her rejecting you again?"

"Yes. I guess."

"Then let her come to you. She will in the end, I am sure."

Anakin smiled down at him, feeling relief pouring into his heart to fill it to bursting. Nodding at the Noghri he left and made his way towards the bridge slowly. It had been a long battle, and even though he had misjudged the whole purpose of the exercise he was quite satisfied with the results. Except, that was, for Padmé. He had asked Luke for advice too, but the boy had been reluctant to answer. Luke probably thought along the same lines Chi'in did. And maybe they were right. He _had_ told her all that he could and now she had to make the next step. 

Tomas Piett was watching the minutes click by. Not much longer until they would leave for Coruscant. He was well aware of the Grand Admiral sitting quietly in the command chair, his glowing eyes staring pensively into the distance. And he was also aware of the uncomfortable silence and the tension filling the bridge. Only a few officers were present and they did not need more for the jump into hyperspace. When suddenly he could hear them retreat from the bridge, he turned around curiously. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the Dark Lord standing there. Apparently he had recovered faster than anyone had expected. Piett gave the tall warlord a quick smile and then left the bridge too.

"It seems that I owe you an apology," Thrawn said smoothly without looking around. 

"An apology?" Anakin asked and watched the planet fall away underneath. The rainstorms over Korriban were raging on, but he had found some peace at last.

"For letting you down."

"I understand. You were worried."

"That is truly no excuse, Lord Vader, for breaking my word."

"It is not? I would have thought that your desire to protect your people would be quite acceptable and I _was _prepared for it."

"And yet you lost."

"Did I?"

The Grand Admiral's low laugh echoed throughout the empty bridge eerily: "You have not changed one bit, Lord Vader. Not at all. And I wonder how long it will take them to find out."

"I think you are mistaken there. I never did change in the first place, I just lost my way for a time. That, I think, will be the hardest part for them to accept."

"Do you think that they will let us live at all?"

"Afraid?"

"No. I am just curious how you think about that."

"I know what you mean. But our choices were valid at the time we made them and they have to honor that. Despite politics and everything."

"I am tired, Lord Vader. And I wish to return to my people as soon as possible."

"We will not keep you."

"Indeed. How gracious," Thrawn replied sarcastically, then, more seriously, continued: "It will be dangerous."

"But you will manage."

"Yes, probably. Still, if you – Well. We can always use someone of your skills with us."

"Thank you. For your confidence in my abilities. It was a pleasure working with you."

"Was it? Somehow I believe that what you say is not necessarily what you mean."

"I mean it."

The arrival of the bridge crew interrupted them and suddenly everything seemed back to normal again. They were peacefully approaching their jump-point and the Grand Admiral was in command. It would take them a few days until they reached Coruscant and Anakin used the sudden commotion on the bridge to slip away into his quarters. Contrary to what Luke might believe he had not slept at all. He had not wanted to. There was too much to think of, to reconsider. Now though he could feel that if he did not take some rest he would break down again sooner or later. And that would just not do when he finally had to face the Alliance and newly elected government again. Sighing deeply he dropped onto his bunk and rolled over on his back, staring up at the ceiling. 

Amidala stood very quietly. She had been waiting there in the shadows for some time, undecided. But finally she made up her mind. Cautiously stepping into the small cabin she held her breath, trying to not disturb the man seemingly lying asleep on the single bunk. But even her own heartbeat seemed too loud in her ears. 

"Padmé?" he whispered, startling her. For a moment she stood rooted in place, torn between leaving again and throwing her arms around his neck. He pushed himself up on his elbows. She did not move, simply stared at him, transfixed.

"Padmé," he began again, almost timidly, "do you remember what I told you back on Korriban?"

She nodded.

Anakin gave her a tiny smile:

"You are that to me, Padmé. My strength, my power, all that I have, and I need you now more than ever before. And that is the simple truth."

When she stepped up to him Amidala reached out slowly to trace the length of his jaw until her fingers rested lightly against his cheek. She sighed deeply, shaking her head in dismay. 

"Anakin," she whispered softly, her anguish too much to bear alone. 

Very suddenly silent tears began flowing from his eyes, over his face, covering his scarred cheeks with a wet tattoo. It was, in a way, quite shocking. She had seen him stand his ground today, as he had many times before, always in control and willing to risk everything. That man had been a stranger to her. Now though, as he sat there, bereft of all his strength and energy, she remembered him as he had been before he became a warrior. And, knowing all that she did now, she pitied Anakin for his losses and sacrifices that had robbed him of his innocence.

Still, there was no way he could go back. He had willingly made that choice when he took up the fight against Palpatine. _Why did you have to play the game?_ She shook her head sadly, knowing full well that for Anakin his actions still seemed valid. Even if he had hurt her with them. And that was something she could not forgive. That he had not trusted her with his feelings and with his plan. To be shut out like that, even if he had sought to protect her, was an insult to both her vows to him and her duties to her people. "You always were the stronger of the two of us", he had told her just a few hours ago. And yet he had not been able to let her carry part of his burden. Who did he think he was? 

Frowning at him Amidala let her anger seep into the silence permeating the cabin, let it fill her mind to bursting until it evaporated into nothingness in the face of what she truly felt. He needed her. He loved her. And she - . Looking deep into his eyes Amidala found that she could walk those blue glaciers forever without ever tiring of the sight, that there was no end to their depths. And indeed. He was so much more than met the eye. Making up her mind she sat down on the edge of the bunk, and when he reached out to touch her hand wordlessly she could feel the last barriers crumble. Leaning over against his shoulder she curled up next to him and simply closed her eyes. After a while she felt his left hand stroke ever so gently over her cheek, brushing away a few loose strands of hair softly.

Anakin was smiling down at the small, beautiful woman cradled in his arms, unable to speak, his mind filled with a happiness that allowed for nothing else. Just looking at her, his eyes tracing the soft curves of her profile, he felt as if there was nothing he would ever need again. Only her. And to think that he had risked her so boldly, her love, her trust, everything. He sighed deeply. So much had happened and yet... And then he fell asleep. Just like that.

"When you know yourself and others, victory is not in danger; 

when you know sky and earth, victory is inexhaustible."

From _The Art of War_

Epilogue

Five days later.

Leia had held tightly onto Han's arm, almost dizzy with joy and anticipation as they watched the shuttle land on one of the high priority landing pads of the Imperial Palace. Chewbacca was looming behind his friend protectively, but Leia knew that they really had nothing to fear. Of course they were not the only ones waiting. A little apart Mon Mothma stood with her advisors, surrounded by a contingent of Alliance guards. Finally the landing ramp lowered, too slowly for the Princess' taste and then they were there. The first to ascend the ramp was a tall, blue-skinned alien with glowing red eyes whom she knew had to be Grand Admiral Thrawn. He was accompanied by Admiral Piett and followed by Wrenga Jixton and Mara Jade. 

Leia threw the Corellian agent a quick smile before she dislodged herself from Han to greet the Grand Admiral. She was careful to arrive a little behind Mon Mothma, honoring the other woman's authority, which the Alliance leader requited with a small nod and a smile.

"Grand Admiral, welcome to Coruscant. Again. There is much we would discuss as I am sure you understand," Mon Mothma said gravely and extended an arm towards the guards, indicating very subtly that he might be welcome, but still a prisoner. Leia froze. What would Thrawn do? His glowing eyes did not allow for any interpretation and he was careful to keep his face blank. Oh he was good, the Princess had to admit.

"A most gracious offer, Mon Mothma," he replied smoothly and walked over to the guards unhurriedly, but Admiral Piett was following him. The Alliance leader gave him a bewildered look:

"Admiral, what is the meaning of this?"

He turned to face her smartly and gave her a small bow: "With your permission, since it is clear that you are going to punish your allies for their past crimes I thought it best to forestall any order on your part."

She stared at him, but her expression turned very grim indeed. 

"It is your choice Admiral," she answered finally.

Leia could not suppress a smile. They could not really hold Thrawn in custody for long and the same went for Piett. But apparently those two were just as stubborn and proud as her father. Then the last of the shuttle's passengers had exited the ship and stood waiting a little apart. Luke was wearing a faint smile on his lips and he had an arm wrapped around Nuron's waist which she seemed to try hard to ignore, apparently unwilling to show any weakness. Leia walked over to them and hugged her brother fiercely before giving the Zabrak warrior a nod, not wanting to embarrass her. Finally she turned towards the last three of the group. The short alien was a stranger to her, but the calmness she felt from him put her at ease instantly. At his side her father stood as straight and composed as ever, but there was a look in his eyes that she had not seen there before: he seemed to be fairly beaming with joy. At the very last Leia's eyes sought the gaze of the petite woman at his side. She recognized her mother instantly and for a moment her breath caught in her throat. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes and rushed over on impulse to embrace the woman she had missed for so long. Amidala was stroking her head, pressing her cheek against hers and Leia could feel her mother's tears mingle with her own. 

"Oh, Leia," the queen whispered and tiny sobs escaped her lips raggedly. "I have missed you so much. Both of you. Your brother has grown so much, and you have too. Not my little babies anymore at all." She took small a step back, holding her daughter at arm's length, her face flushed red, embarrassed: "Listen to me. I am babbling like a teenager. But it is too good to see you again. I love you," she added in a hushed whisper and then she was crying openly, unable to hold back the long years of separation. Anakin wrapped her in his arms gently, pressing her close to his chest. She tentatively put her arms around his waist, hugging him back and blushed even more, remembering how she had fallen asleep at his side, with his left hand still stroking her face, his blue eyes full of light and warmth. 

They had not talked then as there had been no need for words at all. Just to feel him close again and to feel his love had burned away her anger. Only much later they had shared their stories and Amidala had nearly been crushed by how she had been manipulated by Roj Kell. How he had fed her fears and her hatred. But Anakin too had cried when he had told her how he had betrayed the Jedi and failed to protect them, himself being the instrument of their destruction. To be so close again had cost them both and they had felt the barriers fall away, felt protective shields and walls vanish in the face of what they shared. Their children. Their love. They had vowed to never leave the other again. Ever.

Anakin was still holding on to Padmé when Mon Mothma came towards them, a confused look on her face as she eyed the queen doubtfully. But he stood there proudly, daring her to take his love away from him again. She did not know, of course, but when she finally found out the truth... Well. He would let noone get in his way. 

"Lord Vader?" Anakin could feel Padmé flinch in his arms. "I would ask you to join us too. Introductions would be welcome," she added more warmly and Anakin nodded:

"This is Amidala Padmé Naberrie of Naboo. My wife."

The Alliance leader took a moment to draw the right connections, but then her face turned white in shock: "What? She is... But the queen of Naboo was married to Anakin Skywalker. Are you saying..." She paused, took a deep breath and suddenly her eyes were very cold indeed: "We are even, your lordship. I told you that you would pay and although I am well aware of what you did for us, we did return the favor."

"By saving my life. I know. And I accept."

"Anakin," Padmé started to protest, but he hushed her gently with a smile.

"I made a promise to you. And I will keep it," he told her softly, ignoring Mon Mothma's glare. 

Padmé smiled up at him, shook her head and sighed:

"I love you. And I know what you are doing is right."

The conference room was crowded with guards and minor functionaries, but all eyes were on the three people seated at the far end of the table. Mon Mothma was sitting between the Grand Admiral and the Dark Lord, and even though she tried to hide it Anakin could feel that she was nervous. He risked a glance over to where Padmé had found her place next to the twins and gave her a reassuring smile. At his side Mon Mothma shrugged uncomfortably:

"Fact is, Lord - Skywalker, that I would do almost everything to have you pay for your crimes. You know that, I think. Alas, we owe you too much for that and there are a few additional problems: we are in the middle of forming a new government and reforms have to take place throughout the whole bureaucratic structure. Including the judicial system, naturally. Therefore, even if we were to try you, we could not do so just yet. Nevertheless I want the public to know what has occurred and I want them to decide your fate. Do you have any objections to that course of action so far?"

"A public hearing? Is that what you are suggesting?"

"Yes."

"And then?"

"That depends on the people."

It was the first day of the hearing and public interest was, not surprisingly, very high. Coruscant was overrun by tourists who at least wanted to be able to say that they had been there, even if only onplanet. As Leia was impatiently pacing her quarters, waiting for Luke to finish his little talk with Father, Han was standing at the viewport, frowning:

"Quite a crowd down there," he commented softly.

"Don't tell me. The Senate Chamber would be bursting out of its seams if it had any."

"What are those two talking about anyway?"

"I do not know. But I guess Luke is asking him not to be too cruel," she added with a smile.

"Probably. Who is going to serve as witnesses? Apart from us?"

"The obvious choices: Piett, Needa, maybe Chi'in. I think Mon Mothma is too afraid of Nuron. And Jix, of course. I am sure that they have found some more to speak against him. But the way I judge his course of action they won't be necessary at all."

"Too afraid of Nuron? She doesn't know Chi'in at all!" Han exclaimed, remembering what Luke had told him of the battle on Korriban. Leia smiled coolly:

"Yes. A fatal mistake, don't you think?"

"This hearing will break her neck."

"She won't let it get that far, I am sure. Additionally Luke is bringing in a small surprise."

"What kind of surprise?"

"Can't you guess?"

They sat quietly, the Jedi Master and the Knight, teacher and warrior. Both kept their silence, pondering what to say, laying out their arguments carefully. Finally the ancient one heaved a sigh and shook his head:

"Proven your point you believe you have, do you?" he asked slowly and the tall man tailor-seated across from him frowned. When he answered his tone was as grave as the master's.

"In essence. I know I have failed, but it is true: a guardian manages the problem before it appears. The Council never understood that and it was their undoing in the end. You should have acted on Palpatine much earlier," he added with a slight edge in his voice.

"Bitter you are still, and angry."

"Not bitter. Not angry. But maybe upset a bit by your stubbornness, Master."

"Maybe?"

"It depends, doesn't it, on whether I can convince you or not. Hear me then: I do not mean that we should manipulate anyone to be able to act upon it, by no means. But by manipulation we can manage problems that would otherwise grow into disaster."

"Threats you speak of, lies even. Our place it is not to interfere."

"But to move with the flow and to keep the boat from coming to harm in the wild currents. Nudge it here a bit and it will sail into a safe haven. And there will be no need to throw the anchor."

A tiny smile appeared on Master Yoda's face: "Wisdom you have attained, it would seem, but coldness too. Tell me then, your mistake, what was it?"

"I relied on myself only. And I failed to unite my troops. But there was no way to gain your trust. You had deemed me dangerous already, from the very beginning. Why?"

Closing his eyes for a moment Yoda remained silent at first. Finally he had seemed to come to a conclusion, though:

"Dangerous you were, and proved it. Impatient, angry, and soft. Still a danger you are, even more so, but different are the reasons. Judge you they will by their standards. Afraid I am for them, not you." He smiled at that, opening his moss-green eyes again. "Danger, Anakin, is not what the warrior seeks."

"I know."

"Fear is their ally."

"And I will turn it against them."

As Leia had expected, the Senate Chamber was alive with thousands of people and she could here the newsdroids jabber away in the din. Sitting next to Han in the rows reserved for the witnesses Leia sought Luke's gaze. He seemed pensive, but not tense. Finally the committee entered and the noise of the crowd rose to a deafening chorus. It was nothing compared to what greeted the defendant though. Well, strictly speaking he was not on trial, of course, but the media treated this hearing like one anyway, and Leia knew that it would be seen as such by most of the public too. Why he had ever agreed to something like this she could not fathom.

He strode into the Senate as if entering a battlefield. Once more Leia admired the predatory grace with which he moved, his easy gait and the confidence his whole body conveyed. When he was halfway through the aisle all sound had ceased and an expectant silence had settled over the huge assembly. Taking his place in the stand he gave the committee a cold smile. 

"For the record, please state your name," Mon Mothma asked gravely. 

"I am Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Of course Mothma had expected this, but the crowd was completely taken by surprise and it took the wardens fifteen minutes to calm them down again. 

"Jedi Skywalker, this hearing was initiated to discuss your actions under a different name. That of the Dark Lord Darth Vader. Is that true?"

"Partly. If I may, this hearing is in the very first place supposed to give the public an insight into the events that led to the rise of the Empire and ultimately to its end."

"Very well. Then let us begin."

What followed was a gruesome, detailed report of the Jedi Purge, clearly what Mothma would prominently use against him, the various examples that had been made of different worlds, the last of all Alderaan. Leia felt her throat tighten at the thought of what she had lost there, her step-parents, the people she grew up thinking of as her parents. But they were alive, they were here. And although she knew it would take time she also knew that both were willing to make up with the adults they had not been able to care for when they had been children. Anakin had not taken a seat throughout the litany of his crimes and Leia knew very well that he had done so unconsciously, not as a show of strength. Then maybe, he had. When he answered his voice rang strong and clear throughout the chamber, reaching out to everyone:

"I must thank you for so thorough an analysis. This has explained much of the events, 

but unfortunately not the motivation. To truly understand those actions one has to go deeper than that."

Leia listened to him elaborate on the beginning of the game and she felt her hands tremble when he explained the misunderstandings between the Jedi Council and himself, the trap his opponent had laid out for him and how he had had no choice but to learn to play by Palpatine's rules. He did not excuse his actions in any way and always emphasized that he should have been more critical, that he should have seen every aspect. Which truly seemed an impossible feat and by laying it open so clearly he was drawing the audience on his side, and many of the judges, Leia was sure of that. But then. His voice nearly broke when he spoke of the dark times, the Jedi Purge. Again he made no excuses. 

"There is no way to justify what I did then, even in the light of what has gone before," he said softly and his daughter felt her heart ache, and caught an echoing response from Luke. The twins shared a glance and she could see her own sadness mirrored in Luke's blue gaze.

As Anakin went on to explain his initial plan to defeat first Palpatine and then Thrawn and the Sith, the first witnesses appeared. Not unexpectedly Piett, Needa and Jix were treating the Dark Lord's actions fairly, leaving nothing out. No threat, no punishment, no success and no victory. Leia could hear the rising murmurs of the crowd and smiled a bit. The complexity of the plan was truly quite impressive, if not to say awe-inspiring. She could hear a few disbelieving laughters and her smile deepened. 

Finally it was Chi'in's turn to answer the court's questions and a hushed silence fell over the assembly when he was introduced as Sith Lord. He took that title without protest at first, but as he described the Dark Lord's teachings and the subtle manipulations he had insinuated into the lessons he not only made it clear that Anakin Skywalker had not forgotten his own training, but also brought out a more humane side of the warlord. But still, in the end, even after her own testimony and Luke's, Leia knew that the Jedi Purge and the destruction of Alderaan that he had not prevented were still foremost in their minds. Everything else they had to grudgingly accept as the actions of a warrior in a time of war.

"Jedi Skywalker, your crimes demand a heavy sentence and there is in fact only one. We cannot risk you to take matters into your own hands again and the evidence all points towards the fact that no restrictions would prevent you from doing so if you deemed it necessary."

Leia saw her father smile at that, before he answered:

"Of course, the simplest solution would be to execute me. But also the most foolish one."

"Foolish? In what way?"

He gazed at them for a long time, his icy eyes unblinking. When he replied his voice seemed too low to hear at first, but in the deadly silence of the room his half-whispered words reached everyone:

"If you kill me, you have condemned yourself to kill everyone like me. You would kill my children for fear of losing control. You would be no better than Palpatine. No better than myself. Can you justify _that_? Do you truly think you can minimize your risks by eliminating the obvious root of your problem which you believe to be me? For there are more like us, more will be born each year, each decade. Will you kill them for my crimes too?"

"You yourself stated that a problem should be solved before it can grow into a disaster. Is that not so?"

"Indeed. That is very true. Do not misunderstand me. I do not seek to avoid punishment. I want you to realize that you have not understood at all. Even if you do not act in the future as I have described it, you have spawned fear in the minds of the people already. They will not be able to trust those who seek to shield them from harm. And trust is the one thing you need to rule wisely."

"This is not a Senate discussion," Mon Mothma admonished him harshly. 

"I know that. And I understand your motivation, but you have defeated the whole purpose by trying to turn this into justice. I have told you in the very beginning that this would be nothing but revenge."

"What is the difference here then?"

"Justice would be to have me understand the pain of the victims, to understand the grief of those left behind, to suffer with them. To die a million times over and more, to experience the horror my victims felt. My death cannot bring them back though, and you know it. Revenge, on the other hand, would be to have me executed for the sake of an example to others. So that the people understand that the war is over and the monster defeated. It is politics."

Mon Mothma shrugged helplessly: "It is the law."

"Which is made by politicians."

"There have to be rules."

"No. There has to be justice."

"I am not sure I understand," she said, her voice brittle, and the angry frown on her face spoke volumes.

"There is no need. As I said, I cannot make undone what I did. But I can make sure it does not happen again."

"How?"

"There is no solution satisfactory provided by what you interpret as justice and I think of as revenge."

"Then what is the answer?"

"A compromise." 

It was three days later and Amidala was just about to push open the door leading into the living-room of the small apartment she and her husband had been given upon their arrival on Coruscant. But she hesitated for a second when she thought she heard voices. Although she knew that there was noone else supposed to be here. She frowned a bit, torn between the desire of hearing the words spoken and honoring Anakin's privacy. Finally she decided to wait until they had finished the discussion.

"That was a dangerous gamble."

"You know what I think about that, Obi-Wan."

"Indeed I do. But you made them look bad by uncovering their true intentions."

"Then they will have to regain the trust of the people. And that too will have to be solved in time. And the only way to heal those wounds is to have the Jedi rise again. Master Yoda agrees that I made the right choice, even though he has a hard time accepting it."

"I still cannot believe that you managed to convince them to let you live."

"They had no choice.In the long run they would have risked their credibility. My death would not have prevented evil from happening again. Besides, the public discussions all went in my favor."

"You know how to play the masses," his friend admonished him gently.

Anakin laughed: "I believe they were just impressed." Sobering again he shook his head, sighing. "Mon Mothma knows that it would have been unwise to get rid of me. Just as it would have been unwise to not let Thrawn go again. Who knows? Maybe I have plotted her downfall too," he added slyly.

"Have you?" Obi-Wan asked, smiling.

"It does not matter. Fact is, that I can deal with problems they do not even see. And that is why they need the Jedi. As guardians of the peace."

"Which should be the major task of the government, don't you think?"

"No. The government has to make it so that the guardians are not necessary by benefiting the people so they have no needs. You and I both know that evil is not born out of need. Evil is selfishness and a lust for power. Which is why the insight we gain through the Force makes identifying evil easier for us than it would be for the government."

"You are slanting the facts in your favor, Anakin."

"But you know I am right." 

Obi-Wan sighed: "Of course I know. And I am happy for you. But the task ahead is so much more complex and difficult than anything you have done before."

"True. But this time I will not be alone."

Luke had his arms wrapped around Nuron's shoulders, resting his chin next to her neck, feeling the warm skin of her face against his left cheek. He could hear her breathe evenly and feel her heart beat through her ribs against his chest. They stood on the balcony and both were looking up into the sky. But the myriads of lights emanating from the city center made it impossible to see the stars. Which explained why both of them had a certain longing in their eyes. 

"We should be happy," she said suddenly.

"Happy? Why?"

"We are together, you and I, and we both have found a path we can follow without regrets."

"Then you do not object to being a Jedi?"

"I always was, I think." She paused and he could almost see her smile although she was facing the other way. Her amusement though was palpable through the Force. "Well, maybe not always. But I can learn. And you will teach me."

It was late at night and the small apartment was flooded with darkness. Tailor-seated on the floor of the living-room Anakin Skywalker had his eyes closed, concentrating deeply. He could hear Padmé's regular breathing, her stirring in her sleep, could feel the peace she felt. Anakin held on to that feeling a little longer, smiling in satisfaction. He had won her back, heart and soul. The game was over and the battle fought. There was no need for pretense anymore, one way or the other. Throughout the past years he had gone through the fire, learned lesson after lesson and passed the trials in the end. He had accomplished everything he had wanted to, proven everything that needed proving and now there was nothing left that could disturb his peace. 

From the beginning he had set himself high goals and a hard course to follow because he knew that he was vulnerable, knew his weaknesses. And playing the game had been the one chance to eliminate the flaws that would have hampered him otherwise. It had, admittedly, been a very high prize to pay, but what he had gained in exchange was more than he had hoped for even in his wildest dreams. Knowledge so deep that it opened his mind to infinity. 

There was no past and no future, only the present, only what he made of it. Smiling a bit he opened his eyes and looked out into the night and beyond. Into the void his whispered words echoed away unheard, but the truth of them touched the very souls of those who would be guardians one day: 

"By deep knowledge of principle, one can change disturbance into order, change danger into safety, change destruction into survival, change calamity into fortune. There is no end to Life, no end to Death. Let there be balance of the Force and you will find peace. And in the light of the Force evil will vanish like mist in the sun." Rising slowly from his seat he let the torrent raging through him like an icy fire fade away. Knowledge was the key and the results ultimately balance and peace. Forever. 

The End

Comments:

This story was greatly inspired by the war manual _The Art of War_ by Sun Tzu and _The Six Secret Teachings on the Way of Strategy_, a compilation of the strategic advice and tactical instructions by the general T'ai Kung (a honorific title). 

What is so remarkable about these books is that they do not promote war. War and battle are seen as last resorts while a functioning and benign government is deemed the true basis for peace and stability. Therefore Sun Tzu describes the perfect battle-leader as very defensive in the following way: "A general must see alone, meaning that he must see what others do not see and know what others do not know. Seeing what others do not see is called brilliance, knowing what others do not know is called genius. Brilliant geniuses win first, meaning that they defend in such a way as to be unassailable and attack in such a way as to be irresistible." (_The Art of War_, p. 7)

In the story we have actually four such battle-leaders, Darth Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Roj Kell and Chi'in.

All of them have their different views on how things should be done, but they share common traits too. While Chi'in is the only one who refrains from using manipulations, he has perhaps the greatest insight into the happenings, as he proves in the end. Contrary to the other three he has mastered the affairs of the heart. The Sith Lord Roj Kell is a master of manipulation, but his vision is blinded by his dreams of glory for the Sith. Although he has mastered strength and energy to the point of rendering his opponent powerless without doing anything that would weaken himself, he has not understood that this battle is not meant to serve his own ends. No war should. Of course, that is a very naive view and reality teaches us that wars are fought for various reasons and that they seldom, if ever, benefit the people in the way Sun Tzu's _Art of War_ teaches the warrior. 

The major players in the game are both accomplished strategists and both have mastered the principle of what Sun Tzu refers to as 'brilliant genius'. By manipulating his opponents, for example, Darth Vader knows exactly what they are going to do and can plan accordingly without ever revealing his true intentions. But, and that is a great but indeed, he is overlooking one essential factor. Sun Tzu defines great leadership by the traditional Confucian and medieval Taoist virtues of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage and sternness. While the Dark Lord is certainly intelligent, courageous and stern he is in no way trustworthy or humane, at least not in the common sense. And although ruthlessness too is part of a warlord's wisdom it puts him at a disadvantage concerningThrawn. The Grand Admiral is a classical leader, contrary to Vader. He cares for his troops and he does respect his role as a tool, a weapon for the government. While Vader answers to a higher calling, he ignores reality if it suits him or uses it for his own ends. That is the greatest difference between them and the reason why the Dark Lord fails in the end, even though he has defeated the Grand Admiral.

As the T'ai Kung stated elaborately: "Do not assume that the Three Armies are large and treat the enemy lightly. Do not commit yourself to die just because you have received a heavy responsibility. Do not, because you are honored, regard other men as lowly. Do not rely upon yourself alone and contravene the masses." (In _The Six Secret Teachings_, p. 99)

Did I forget someone? Actually I did. Princess Leia, although certainly inspired by her father's teachings, retains her very own personality and it becomes readily apparent that she is a diplomat rather than a strategist when she chooses the civil offensive over the military offensive and achieves victory without fighting, which is the essence of _The Art of War_.

As you can see, strategy is a very interesting field of study and I invite anyone who enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it to discuss that subject further.

Djuva

Djuva@yahoo.com

Dying ground: 

"Where you will survive only if you fight quickly and perish if you do not, this is called dying ground." (Sun Tzu in _The Art of War_, p. 150)

Sun Tzu distinguishes nine grounds: ground of dissolution, light ground, ground of contention, trafficked ground, intersecting ground, heavy ground, bad ground, surrounded ground and dying ground. There are different strategies for all of them, and Sun Tzu summarizes them in the following excerpt:"[...] let there be no battle on ground of dissolution, let there be no stopping on light ground, let there be no attack on ground of contention, let there be no cutting off of trafficked ground. On intersecting ground form communications, on heavy ground plunder, on bad ground keep going, on surrounded ground make plans, on dying ground fight." (In _The Art of War_, p. 150f) Of course these definitions are very abstract and can also be applied to a more psychological plane.

That is actually the difference between _The Art of War_ and _The Six Secret Teachings_: while Sun Tzu describes the matters of warfare more abstract, the T'ai Kung's advice is always a direct answer to a practical question.

Mastery: 

Sun Tzu teaches four kinds of mastery essential to the warrior: mastery of adaption, mastery of energy, mastery of strength, mastery of the heart. 

Literature: 

Thomas Cleary: Sun Tzu, _The Art of War_, Shambala Publications Inc. , Boston, 1988

Ralph D. Sawyer: _The Six Secret Teachings on the Way of Strategy_, Shambala Publications Inc. Boston, 1997


End file.
